1980—Pub. L. 96–513, title V, §§501(1), 511(29), (54)(B), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2907, 2922, 2925, added item for chapter 32, substituted "531" for "541" as section number in item for chapter 33, substituted "34" for "35" as chapter number of chapter relating to appointments as reserve officers, added items for chapters 35 and 36, substituted "Reserve Components: Standards and Procedures for Retention and Promotion" for "Retention of Reserves" in item for chapter 51, added item for chapter 60, substituted "1251" for "1255" as section number in item for chapter 63, substituted "Retirement of Warrant Officers" for "Retirement" in item for chapter 65, substituted "1370" for "1371" as section number in item for chapter 69, and amended item for chapter 73 to read: "Annuities Based on Retired or Retainer Pay".

Policy on the Talent Management of Digital Expertise and Software Professionals

"(1) In general.—It shall be a policy of the Department of Defense to promote and maintain digital expertise and software development as core competencies of civilian and military workforces of the Department, and as a capability to support the National Defense Strategy, which policy shall be achieved by—

"(A) the recruitment, development, and incentivization of retention in and to the civilian and military workforce of the Department of individuals with aptitude, experience, proficient expertise, or a combination thereof in digital expertise and software development;

"(B) at the discretion of the Secretaries of the military departments, the development and maintenance of civilian and military career tracks related to digital expertise, and related digital competencies for members of the Armed Forces, including the development and maintenance of training, education, talent management, incentives, and promotion policies in support of members at all levels of such career tracks; and

"(C) the development and application of appropriate readiness standards and metrics to measure and report on the overall capability, capacity, utilization, and readiness of digital engineering professionals to develop and deliver operational capabilities and employ modern business practices.

"(2) Digital engineering defined.—For purposes of this section, the term 'digital engineering' means the discipline and set of skills involved in the creation, processing, transmission, integration, and storage of digital data, including data science, machine learning, software engineering, software product management, and artificial intelligence product management.

"(b) Implementation Plan.—Not later than May 1, 2020, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a plan that describes how the Department of Defense will execute the policy described in subsection (a).

"(c) Responsibility.—

"(1) Appointment of officer.—Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019], the Secretary of Defense may appoint a civilian official responsible for the development and implementation of the policy and implementation plan set forth in subsections (a) and (b), respectively. The official shall be known as the 'Chief Digital Engineering Recruitment and Management Officer of the Department of Defense'.

"(2) Expiration of appointment.—The appointment of the Officer under paragraph (1) shall expire on September 30, 2024."

Enhanced Protections for Prospective Members and New Members of the Armed Forces During Entry-Level Processing and Training

"(1) Policy required.—The Secretary of a military department and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall maintain a policy that defines and prescribes, for the persons described in paragraph (2), what constitutes an inappropriate and prohibited relationship, communication, conduct, or contact, including when such an action is consensual, between a member of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (2)(A) and a prospective member or member of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (2)(B).

"(A) a member of the Armed Forces who exercises authority or control over, or supervises, a person described in subparagraph (B) during the entry-level processing or training of the person; and

"(B) a prospective member of the Armed Forces or a member of the Armed Forces undergoing entry-level processing or training.

"(3) Inclusion of certain members required.—The members of the Armed Forces covered by paragraph (2)(A) shall include, at a minimum, military personnel assigned or attached to duty—

"(A) for the purpose of recruiting or assessing persons for enlistment or appointment as a commissioned officer, warrant officer, or enlisted member of the Armed Forces;

"(B) at a Military Entrance Processing Station; or

"(C) at an entry-level training facility or school of an Armed Force.

"(b) Effect of Violations.—A member of the Armed Forces who violates the policy required by subsection (a) shall be subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

"(c) Processing for Administrative Separation.—

"(1) In general.—(A) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall require the processing for administrative separation of any member of the Armed Forces described in subsection (a)(2)(A) in response to the first substantiated violation by the member of the policy required by subsection (a), when the member is not otherwise punitively discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces for that violation.

"(B) The Secretary of a military department shall revise regulations applicable to the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of that Secretary as necessary to ensure compliance with the requirement under subparagraph (A).

"(2) Required elements.—(A) In imposing the requirement under paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall ensure that any separation decision regarding a member of the Armed Forces is based on the full facts of the case and that due process procedures are provided under existing law or regulations or additionally prescribed, as considered necessary by the Secretaries, pursuant to subsection (f).

"(B) The requirement imposed by paragraph (1) shall not be interpreted to limit or alter the authority of the Secretary of a military department and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating to process members of the Armed Forces for administrative separation—

"(i) for reasons other than a substantiated violation of the policy required by subsection (a); or

"(ii) under other provisions of law or regulation.

"(3) Substantiated violation.—For purposes of paragraph (1), a violation by a member of the Armed Forces described in subsection (a)(2)(A) of the policy required by subsection (a) shall be treated as substantiated if—

"(A) there has been a court-martial conviction for violation of the policy, but the adjudged sentence does not include discharge or dismissal; or

"(B) a nonjudicial punishment authority under section 815 of title 10, United States Code (article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), has determined that a member has committed an offense in violation of the policy and imposed nonjudicial punishment upon the member.

"(d) Report on Need for UCMJ Punitive Article.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 26, 2013], the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing the recommendations of the Secretary regarding the need to amend chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice), to create an additional article under subchapter X of such chapter to address violations of the policy required by subsection (a).

"(e) Definitions.—In this section:

"(1) The term 'entry-level processing or training', with respect to a member of the Armed Forces, means the period beginning on the date on which the member became a member of the Armed Forces and ending on the date on which the member physically arrives at that member's first duty assignment following completion of initial entry training (or its equivalent), as defined by the Secretary of the military department concerned or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating.

"(2) The term 'prospective member of the Armed Forces' means a person who is pursuing or has recently pursued becoming a member of the Armed Forces and who has had a face-to-face meeting with a member of the Armed Forces assigned or attached to duty described in subsection (a)(3)(A) regarding becoming a member of the Armed Forces, regardless of whether the person eventually becomes a member of the Armed Forces.

"(f) Regulations.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 26, 2013], the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section. The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, the regulations are uniform for each armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary."

§501. Definition

Prior Provisions

A prior section 501 was renumbered 502 of this title.

§502. Enlistment oath: who may administer

(a) Enlistment Oath.—Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following oath:

"I, ____________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

(b) Who May Administer.—The oath may be taken before the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary of Defense, any commissioned officer, or any other person designated under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.

The words "or affirmation" are omitted as covered by the definition of the word "oath" in section 1 of title 1. The words "of any armed force" are inserted in the last sentence, since they are necessarily implied by their use in the source statute.

References in Text

The Uniform Code of Military Justice, referred to in the oath, is classified to chapter 47 (§801 et seq.) of this title.

Amendments

2006—Pub. L. 109–364 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, struck out concluding provisions which read as follows: "This oath may be taken before any commissioned officer of any armed force.", and added subsec. (b).

1989—Pub. L. 101–189 struck out "or affirmation" after "This oath".

1962—Pub. L. 87–751 substituted "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same" for "bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever" and inserted "So help me God" in the oath, and "or affirmation" in text.

(2) The Secretary of Defense shall act on a continuing basis to enhance the effectiveness of recruitment programs of the Department of Defense (including programs conducted jointly and programs conducted by the separate armed forces) through an aggressive program of advertising and market research targeted at prospective recruits for the armed forces and those who may influence prospective recruits. Subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44 shall not apply to actions taken as part of that program.

(b) Compilation of Directory Information.—(1) The Secretary of Defense may collect and compile directory information pertaining to each student who is 17 years of age or older or in the eleventh grade (or its equivalent) or higher and who is enrolled in a secondary school in the United States or its territories, possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(2) The Secretary may make directory information collected and compiled under this subsection available to the armed forces for military recruiting purposes. Such information may not be disclosed for any other purpose.

(3) Directory information pertaining to any person may not be maintained for more than 3 years after the date the information pertaining to such person is first collected and compiled under this subsection.

(4) Directory information collected and compiled under this subsection shall be confidential, and a person who has had access to such information may not disclose such information except for the purposes described in paragraph (2).

(5) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this subsection. Regulations prescribed under this subsection shall be submitted to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives. Regulations prescribed by the Secretaries concerned to carry out this subsection shall be as uniform as practicable.

(6) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as requiring, or authorizing the Secretary of Defense to require, that any educational institution furnish directory information to the Secretary.

(c) Access to Secondary Schools.—(1)(A) Each local educational agency receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965—

(i) shall provide to military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as is provided generally to postsecondary educational institutions or to prospective employers of those students; and

(ii) shall, upon a request made by military recruiters for military recruiting purposes, provide access to secondary school student names, addresses, and telephone listings, notwithstanding section 444(a)(5)(B) of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g(a)(5)(B)).

(B) A local educational agency may not release a student's name, address, and telephone listing under subparagraph (A)(ii) without the prior written consent of a parent of the student if the student, or a parent of the student, has submitted a request to the local educational agency that the student's information not be released for a purpose covered by that subparagraph without prior written parental consent. Each local educational agency shall notify parents of the rights provided under the preceding sentence.

(2) If a local educational agency denies a request by the Department of Defense for recruiting access, the Secretary of Defense, in cooperation with the Secretary of the military department concerned, shall designate an officer in a grade not below the grade of colonel or, in the case of the Navy, captain, or a senior executive of that military department to meet with representatives of that local educational agency in person, at the offices of that agency, for the purpose of arranging for recruiting access. The designated officer or senior executive shall seek to have that meeting within 120 days of the date of the denial of the request for recruiting access.

(3) If, after a meeting under paragraph (2) with representatives of a local educational agency that has denied a request for recruiting access or (if the educational agency declines a request for the meeting) after the end of such 120-day period, the Secretary of Defense determines that the agency continues to deny recruiting access, the Secretary shall transmit to the chief executive of the State in which the agency is located a notification of the denial of recruiting access and a request for assistance in obtaining that access. The notification shall be transmitted within 60 days after the date of the determination. The Secretary shall provide to the Secretary of Education a copy of such notification and any other communication between the Secretary and that chief executive with respect to such access.

(4) If a local educational agency continues to deny recruiting access one year after the date of the transmittal of a notification regarding that agency under paragraph (3), the Secretary—

(A) shall determine whether the agency denies recruiting access to at least two of the armed forces (other than the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy); and

(B) upon making an affirmative determination under subparagraph (A), shall transmit a notification of the denial of recruiting access to—

(i) the specified congressional committees;

(ii) the Senators of the State in which the local educational agency is located; and

(iii) the member of the House of Representatives who represents the district in which the local educational agency is located.

(5) The requirements of this subsection do not apply to a private secondary school that maintains a religious objection to service in the armed forces and which objection is verifiable through the corporate or other organizational documents or materials of that school.

(6) In this subsection:

(A) The term "local educational agency" means—

(i) a local educational agency, within the meaning of that term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and

(ii) a private secondary school.

(B) The term "recruiting access" means access requested as described in paragraph (1).

(C) The term "senior executive" has the meaning given that term in section 3132(a)(3) of title 5.

(D) The term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

(E) The term "specified congressional committees" means the following:

(i) The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.

(ii) The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives.

(F) The term "member of the House of Representatives" includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress.

(d) Directory Information Defined.—In this section, the term "directory information" has the meaning given that term in subsection (a)(5)(A) of section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g).

References in Text

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(A), (6)(A)(i), is Pub. L. 89–10, Apr. 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 27, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 70 (§6301 et seq.) of Title 20, Education. Section 8101 of the Act is classified to section 7801 of Title 20. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6301 of Title 20 and Tables.

"(A) a local educational agency with respect to access to secondary school students or access to directory information concerning such students for any period during which there is in effect a policy of that agency, established by majority vote of the governing body of the agency, to deny recruiting access to those students or to that directory information, respectively; or

2001—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–107, §544(a), reenacted heading without change and amended text of par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: "Each local educational agency shall (except as provided under paragraph (5)) provide to the Department of Defense, upon a request made for military recruiting purposes, the same access to secondary school students, and to directory information concerning such students, as is provided generally to post-secondary educational institutions or to prospective employers of those students."

Subsec. (b)(7). Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §563(b)(1)], struck out par. (7) which read as follows: "In this subsection, 'directory information' means, with respect to a student, the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, level of education, degrees received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §563(a)], amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: "Each local educational agency is requested to provide to the Department of Defense, upon a request made for military recruiting purposes, the same access to secondary school students, and to directory information concerning such students, as is provided generally to post-secondary educational institutions or to prospective employers of those students."

1999—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 106–65, §1067(1), substituted "and the Committee on Armed Services" for "and the Committee on National Security".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–65, §571, added subsec. (c).

1996—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 104–106 substituted "Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives" for "Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives".

Change of Name

Committee on Education and the Workforce of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Education and Labor of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2019.

Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of Title 20, Education.

Effective Date of 2001 Amendment

Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, §544(b), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1113, provided that: "The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on July 1, 2002, immediately after the amendment to section 503(c) of title 10, United States Code, made, effective that date, by section 563(a) of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 106–398; 114 Stat. 1654A–131)."

Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title X, §1048(a)(5)(B), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1222, provided that: "The amendment made by subparagraph (A) [amending this section] shall take effect on July 1, 2002, immediately after the amendment to such section [this section] effective that date by section 563(a) of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 106–398; 114 Stat. 1654A–131)."

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Pilot Programs on Direct Commissions to Cyber Positions

"(a) Pilot Programs Authorized.—Each Secretary of a military department may carry out a pilot program to improve the ability of an Armed Force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to recruit cyber professionals.

"(b) Elements.—Under a pilot program established under this section, an individual who meets educational, physical, and other requirements determined appropriate by the Secretary of the military department concerned may receive an original appointment as a commissioned officer in a cyber specialty.

"(c) Consultation.—In developing a pilot program for the Army or the Air Force under this section, the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force may consult with the Secretary of the Navy with respect to an existing, similar program carried out by the Secretary of the Navy.

"(d) Duration.—

"(1) Commencement.—The Secretary of a military department may commence a pilot program under this section on or after January 1, 2017.

"(2) Termination.—All pilot programs under this section shall terminate no later than December 31, 2022.

"(e) Status Report.—Not later than January 1, 2020, each Secretary of a military department who conducts a pilot program under this section shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing an evaluation of the success of the program in obtaining skilled cyber personnel for the Armed Forces."

"(a) Additional Recruitment Incentives Authorized.—The Secretary of a military department may develop and provide incentives, not otherwise authorized by law, to encourage individuals to accept an appointment as a commissioned officer, to accept an appointment as a warrant officer, or to enlist in an Armed Force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.

"(b) Relation to Other Personnel Authorities.—A recruitment incentive developed under subsection (a) may be provided—

"(1) without regard to the lack of specific authority for the recruitment incentive under title 10 or 37, United States Code; and

"(2) notwithstanding any provision of such titles, or any rule or regulation prescribed under such provision, relating to methods of providing incentives to individuals to accept appointments or enlistments in the Armed Forces, including the provision of group or individual bonuses, pay, or other incentives.

"(c) Notice and Wait Requirement.—The Secretary of a military department may not provide a recruitment incentive developed under subsection (a) until—

"(1) the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a plan regarding provision of the recruitment incentive, which includes—

"(A) a description of the incentive, including the purpose of the incentive and the potential recruits to be addressed by the incentive;

"(B) a description of the provisions of titles 10 and 37, United States Code, from which the incentive would require a waiver and the rationale to support the waiver;

"(C) a statement of the anticipated outcomes as a result of providing the incentive; and

"(D) a description of the method to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the incentive; and

"(2) the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the date on which the plan was received by Congress.

"(d) Limitation on Number of Incentives.—The Secretary of a military department may not provide more than three recruitment incentives under the authority of this section.

"(e) Limitation on Number of Individuals Receiving Incentives.—The number of individuals who receive one or more of the recruitment incentives provided under subsection (a) by the Secretary of a military department during a fiscal year for an Armed Force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary may not exceed 20 percent of the accession objective of that Armed Force for that fiscal year.

"(f) Duration of Developed Incentive.—A recruitment incentive developed under subsection (a) may be provided for not longer than a three-year period beginning on the date on which the incentive is first provided, except that the Secretary of the military department concerned may extend the period if the Secretary determines that additional time is needed to fully evaluate the effectiveness of the incentive.

"(g) Reporting Requirements.—If the Secretary of a military department provides an recruitment incentive under subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report, not later than 60 days after the end of the fiscal year, containing—

"(1) a description of each incentive provided under subsection (a) during that fiscal year; and

"(2) an assessment of the impact of the incentives on the recruitment of individuals for an Armed Force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.

"(h) Termination of Authority to Provide Incentives.—Notwithstanding subsection (f); the authority to provide recruitment incentives under this section expires on December 31, 2020."

[For termination, effective Dec. 30, 2021, of reporting requirements in section 522(g) of Pub. L. 114–92, set out above, see section 1702(a), (b), of Pub. L. 116–92, set out as a Termination of Reporting Requirements note under section 111 of this title.]

Policy on Military Recruitment and Enlistment of Graduates of Secondary Schools

"(a) Conditions on Use of Test, Assessment, or Screening Tools.—In the case of any test, assessment, or screening tool utilized under the policy on recruitment and enlistment required by subsection (b) of section 532 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 125 Stat. 1403; 10 U.S.C. 503 note) for the purpose of identifying persons for recruitment and enlistment in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of Defense shall—

"(1) implement a means for ensuring that graduates of a secondary school (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 7801]), including all persons described in subsection (a)(2) of section 532 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, are required to meet the same standard on the test, assessment, or screening tool; and

"(2) use uniform testing requirements and grading standards.

"(b) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in section 532(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 or this section shall be construed to permit the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of a military department to create or use a different grading standard on any test, assessment, or screening tool utilized for the purpose of identifying graduates of a secondary school (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 7801]), including all persons described in subsection (a)(2) of section 532 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, for recruitment and enlistment in the Armed Forces."

"(1) Equal treatment.—For the purposes of recruitment and enlistment in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of a military department shall treat a graduate described in paragraph (2) in the same manner as a graduate of a secondary school (as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 7801]).

"(A) receives a diploma from a secondary school that is legally operating; or

"(B) otherwise completes a program of secondary education in compliance with the education laws of the State in which the person resides.

"(b) Policy on Recruitment and Enlistment.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 31, 2011], the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe a policy on recruitment and enlistment that incorporates the following:

"(1) Means for identifying persons described in subsection (a)(2) who are qualified for recruitment and enlistment in the Armed Forces, which may include the use of a non-cognitive aptitude test, adaptive personality assessment, or other operational attrition screening tool to predict performance, behaviors, and attitudes of potential recruits that influence attrition and the ability to adapt to a regimented life in the Armed Forces.

"(3) Means for maintaining data, by each diploma source, which can be used to analyze attrition rates among qualified persons.

"(c) Recruitment Plan.—As part of the policy required by subsection (b), the Secretary of each of the military departments shall develop a recruitment plan that includes a marketing strategy for targeting various segments of potential recruits with all types of secondary education credentials.

"(d) Communication Plan.—The Secretary of each of the military departments shall develop a communication plan to ensure that the policy and recruitment plan are understood by military recruiters."

Recruitment and Enlistment of Home-Schooled Students in the Armed Forces

"(1) Policy required.—The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe a policy on the recruitment and enlistment of home-schooled students in the Armed Forces.

"(2) Uniformity across the armed forces.—The Secretary shall ensure that the policy prescribed under paragraph (1) applies, to the extent practicable, uniformly across the Armed Forces.

"(b) Elements.—The policy under subsection (a) shall include the following:

"(1) An identification of a graduate of home schooling for purposes of recruitment and enlistment in the Armed Forces that is in accordance with the requirements described in subsection (c).

"(2) A communication plan to ensure that the policy described in subsection (c) is understood by recruiting officials of all the Armed Forces, to include field recruiters at the lowest level of command.

"(3) An exemption of graduates of home schooling from the requirement for a secondary school diploma or an equivalent (GED) as a precondition for enlistment in the Armed Forces.

"(c) Home School Graduates.—In prescribing the policy under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe a single set of criteria to be used by the Armed Forces in determining whether an individual is a graduate of home schooling. The Secretary concerned shall ensure compliance with education credential coding requirements.

"(d) Secretary Concerned Defined.—In this section, the term 'Secretary concerned' has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(9) of title 10, United States Code."

Temporary Army Authority To Provide Additional Recruitment Incentives

"(a) Authority to Develop and Provide Recruitment Incentives.—The Secretary of the Army may develop and provide incentives not otherwise authorized by law to encourage individuals to accept commissions as officers or to enlist in the Army.

"(b) Relation to Other Personnel Authorities.—A recruitment incentive developed under subsection (a) may be provided—

"(1) without regard to the lack of specific authority for the incentive under title 10 or 37, United States Code; and

"(2) notwithstanding any provision of such titles, or any rule or regulation prescribed under such provision, relating to methods of—

"(A) determining requirements for, and the compensation of, members of the Army who are assigned duty as military recruiters; or

"(B) providing incentives to individuals to accept commissions or enlist in the Army, including the provision of group or individual bonuses, pay, or other incentives.

"(c) Waiver of Otherwise Applicable Laws.—A provision of title 10 or 37, United States Code, may not be waived with respect to, or otherwise determined to be inapplicable to, the provision of a recruitment incentive developed under subsection (a) without the approval of the Secretary of Defense.

"(d) Notice and Wait Requirement.—A recruitment incentive developed under subsection (a) may not be provided to individuals until—

"(1) the Secretary of the Army submits to Congress, the appropriate elements of the Department of Defense, and the Comptroller General a plan that includes—

"(A) a description of the incentive, including the purpose of the incentive and the potential recruits to be addressed by the incentive;

"(B) a description of the provisions of titles 10 and 37, United States Code, from which the incentive would require a waiver and the rationale to support the waiver;

"(C) a statement of the anticipated outcomes as a result of providing the incentive; and

"(D) the method to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the incentive; and

"(2) a 45-day period beginning on the date on which the plan was received by Congress expires.

"(e) Limitation on Number of Incentives.—Not more than four recruitment incentives may be provided at the same time under the authority of this section.

"(f) Limitation on Number of Individuals Receiving Incentives.—The number of individuals who receive one or more of the recruitment incentives provided under subsection (a) during a fiscal year may not exceed the number of individuals equal to 20 percent of the accession mission of the Army for that fiscal year.

"(g) Duration of Developed Incentive.—A recruitment incentive developed under subsection (a) may be provided for not longer than a three-year period beginning on the date on which the incentive is first provided, except that the Secretary of the Army may extend the period if the Secretary determines that additional time is needed to fully evaluate the effectiveness of the incentive.

"(h) Reporting Requirements.—

"(1) Secretary of the army report.—The Secretary of the Army shall submit to Congress an annual report on the recruitment incentives provided under subsection (a) during the preceding year, including—

"(A) a description of the incentives provided under subsection (a) during that fiscal year; and

"(B) an assessment of the impact of the incentives on the recruitment of individuals as officers or enlisted members.

"(2) Comptroller general report.—As soon as practicable after receipt of each plan under subsection (d), the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report evaluating the expected outcomes of the recruitment incentive covered by the plan in terms of cost effectiveness and mission achievement.

"(i) Duration of Authority.—

"(1) In general.—The Secretary may not develop an incentive under this section, or first provide an incentive developed under this section to an individual, after December 31, 2012.

"(2) Continuation of incentives.—Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to prohibit or limit the continuing provision to an individual after the date specified in that paragraph of an incentive first provided the individual under this section before that date."

Enhanced Screening Methods and Process Improvements for Recruitment of Home Schooled and National Guard Challenge Program GED Recipients

"(a) Enhanced Screening Methods and Process Improvements.—(1) The Secretary of the Army shall carry out an initiative—

"(A) to develop screening methods and process improvements for recruiting specified GED recipients so as to achieve attrition patterns, among the GED recipients so recruited, that match attrition patterns for Army recruits who are high school diploma graduates; and

"(B) subject to subsection (b), to implement such screening methods and process improvements on a test basis.

"(2) For purposes of this section, the term 'specified GED recipients' means persons who receive a General Educational Development (GED) certificate as a result of home schooling or the completion of a program under the National Guard Challenge program.

"(b) Secretary of Defense Review.—Before the screening methods and process improvements developed under subsection (a)(1) are put into effect under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary of Defense shall review the proposed screening methods and process improvements. Based on such review, the Secretary of Defense either shall approve the use of such screening methods and process improvements for testing (with such modifications as the Secretary may direct) or shall disapprove the use of such methods and process improvements on a test basis.

"(c) Secretary of Defense Decision.—If the Secretary of Defense determines under subsection (b) that the screening methods and process improvements developed under subsection (a)(1) should be implemented on a test basis, then upon completion of the test period, the Secretary of Defense shall, after reviewing the results of the test program, determine whether the new screening methods and process improvements developed by the Army should be extended throughout the Department for recruit candidates identified by the new procedures to be considered tier 1 recruits.

"(d) Reports.—(1) If the Secretary of Defense determines under subsection (b) that the screening methods and process improvements developed under subsection (a)(1) should not be implemented on a test basis, the Secretary of Defense shall, not later than 90 days thereafter, notify the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives of such determination, together with the reasons of the Secretary for such determination.

"(2) If the Secretary of Defense determines under subsection (b) that the screening methods and process improvements developed under subsection (a)(1) should be implemented on a test basis, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the committees specified in paragraph (1) a report on the results of the testing. The report shall be submitted not later than March 31, 2009, except that if the Secretary of Defense directs an earlier termination of the testing initiative, the Secretary of the Army shall submit the report under this paragraph not later than 180 days after such termination. Such report shall include the determination of the Secretary of Defense under subsection (c). If that determination is that the methods and processes tested should not be extended to the other services, the report shall include the Secretary's rationale for not recommending such extension."

Department of Defense Joint Advertising, Market Research, and Studies Program

"(a) Program Authorized.—The Secretary of Defense may carry out a joint advertising, market research, and studies program to complement the recruiting advertising programs of the military departments and improve the ability of the military departments to attract and recruit qualified individuals to serve in the Armed Forces.

"(b) Funding.—Of the amount authorized to be appropriated by section 301(5) [117 Stat. 1426] for operation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities, $7,500,000 may be made available to carry out the joint advertising, market research, and studies program."

Army Recruiting Pilot Programs

"(a) Requirement for Programs.—The Secretary of the Army shall carry out pilot programs to test various recruiting approaches under this section for the following purposes:

"(1) To assess the effectiveness of the recruiting approaches for creating enhanced opportunities for recruiters to make direct, personal contact with potential recruits.

"(2) To improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of Army recruiting activities.

"(b) Outreach Through Motor Sports.—(1) One of the pilot programs shall be a pilot program of public outreach that associates the Army with motor sports competitions to achieve the objectives set forth in paragraph (2).

"(2) The events and activities undertaken under the pilot program shall be designed to provide opportunities for Army recruiters to make direct, personal contact with high school students to achieve the following objectives:

"(A) To increase enlistments by students graduating from high school.

"(B) To reduce attrition in the Delayed Entry Program of the Army by sustaining the personal commitment of students who have elected delayed entry into the Army under the program.

"(3) Under the pilot program, the Secretary of the Army shall provide for the following:

"(A) For Army recruiters or other Army personnel—

"(i) to organize Army sponsored career day events in association with national motor sports competitions; and

"(ii) to arrange for or encourage attendance at the competitions by high school students, teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators of high schools located near the competitions.

"(B) For Army recruiters and other soldiers to attend national motor sports competitions—

"(i) to display exhibits depicting the contemporary Army and career opportunities in the Army; and

"(ii) to discuss those opportunities with potential recruits.

"(C) For the Army to sponsor a motor sports racing team as part of an integrated program of recruitment and publicity for the Army.

"(D) For the Army to sponsor motor sports competitions for high school students at which recruiters meet with potential recruits.

"(E) For Army recruiters or other Army personnel to compile in an Internet accessible database the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and electronic mail addresses of persons who are identified as potential recruits through activities under the pilot program.

"(F) Any other activities associated with motor sports competition that the Secretary determines appropriate for Army recruitment purposes.

"(c) Outreach at Vocational Schools and Community Colleges.—(1) One of the pilot programs shall be a pilot program under which Army recruiters are assigned, as their primary responsibility, at postsecondary vocational institutions and community colleges for the purpose of recruiting students graduating from those institutions and colleges, recent graduates of those institutions and colleges, and students withdrawing from enrollments in those institutions and colleges.

"(2) The Secretary of the Army shall select the institutions and colleges to be invited to participate in the pilot program.

"(3) The conduct of the pilot program at an institution or college shall be subject to an agreement which the Secretary shall enter into with the governing body or authorized official of the institution or college, as the case may be.

"(4) Under the pilot program, the Secretary shall provide for the following:

"(A) For Army recruiters to be placed in postsecondary vocational institutions and community colleges to serve as a resource for guidance counselors and to recruit for the Army.

"(B) For Army recruiters to recruit from among students and graduates described in paragraph (1).

"(C) For the use of telemarketing, direct mail, interactive voice response systems, and Internet website capabilities to assist the recruiters in the postsecondary vocational institutions and community colleges.

"(D) For any other activities that the Secretary determines appropriate for recruitment activities in postsecondary vocational institutions and community colleges.

"(5) In this subsection, the term 'postsecondary vocational institution' has the meaning given the term in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c)).

"(d) Contract Recruiting Initiatives.—(1) One of the pilot programs shall be a program that expands in accordance with this subsection the scope of the Army's contract recruiting initiatives that are ongoing as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000]. Under the pilot program, the Secretary of the Army shall select at least 10 recruiting companies to apply the initiatives in efforts to recruit personnel for the Army.

"(2) Under the pilot program, the Secretary shall provide for the following:

"(A) For replacement of the Regular Army and Army Reserve recruiters by contract recruiters in the 10 recruiting companies selected under paragraph (1).

"(B) For operation of the 10 companies under the same rules as the other Army recruiting companies.

"(C) For use of the offices, facilities, and equipment of the 10 companies by the contract recruiters.

"(D) For reversion to performance of the recruiting activities by Regular Army and Army Reserve soldiers in the 10 companies upon termination of the pilot program.

"(E) For any other uses of contractor personnel for Army recruiting activities that the Secretary determines appropriate.

"(e) Duration of Pilot Programs.—The pilot programs required by this section shall be carried out during the period beginning on October 1, 2000, and, subject to subsection (f), ending on September 30, 2007.

"(f) Authority To Expand or Extend Pilot Programs.—The Secretary may expand the scope of any of the pilot programs (under subsection (b)(3)(F), (c)(4)(D), (d)(2)(E), or otherwise) or extend the period for any of the pilot programs. Before doing so in the case of a pilot program, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a written notification of the expansion of the pilot program (together with the scope of the expansion) or the continuation of the pilot program (together with the period of the extension), as the case may be.

"(g) Reports.—Not later than February 1, 2008, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a separate report on each of the pilot programs carried out under this section. The report on a pilot program shall include the following:

"(1) The Secretary's assessment of the value of the actions taken in the administration of the pilot program for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Army recruiting.

"(2) Any recommendations for legislation or other action that the Secretary considers appropriate to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of Army recruiting."

Pilot Program To Enhance Military Recruiting by Improving Military Awareness of School Counselors and Educators

Measures To Improve Recruit Quality and Reduce Recruit Attrition

"SEC. 531. REFORM OF MILITARY RECRUITING SYSTEMS.

"(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense shall carry out reforms in the recruiting systems of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps in order to improve the quality of new recruits and to reduce attrition among recruits.

"(b) Specific Reforms.—As part of the reforms in military recruiting systems to be undertaken under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take the following steps:

"(1) Improve the system of pre-enlistment waivers and separation codes used for recruits by (A) revising and updating those waivers and codes to allow more accurate and useful data collection about those separations, and (B) prescribing regulations to ensure that those waivers and codes are interpreted in a uniform manner by the military services.

"(2) Develop a reliable database for (A) analyzing (at both the Department of Defense and service-level) data on reasons for attrition of new recruits, and (B) undertaking Department of Defense or service-specific measures (or both) to control and manage such attrition.

"(3) Require that the Secretary of each military department (A) adopt or strengthen incentives for recruiters to thoroughly prescreen potential candidates for recruitment, and (B) link incentives for recruiters, in part, to the ability of a recruiter to screen out unqualified candidates before enlistment.

"(4) Require that the Secretary of each military department include as a measurement of recruiter performance the percentage of persons enlisted by a recruiter who complete initial combat training or basic training.

"(5) Assess trends in the number and use of waivers over the 1991–1997 period that were issued to permit applicants to enlist with medical or other conditions that would otherwise be disqualifying.

"(6) Require the Secretary of each military department to implement policies and procedures (A) to ensure the prompt separation of recruits who are unable to successfully complete basic training, and (B) to remove those recruits from the training environment while separation proceedings are pending.

"(c) Report.—Not later than March 31, 1998, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report of the trends assessed under subsection (b)(5). The information on those trends provided in the report shall be shown by armed force and by category of waiver. The report shall include recommendations of the Secretary for changing, revising, or limiting the use of waivers referred to in that subsection.

"SEC. 532. IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICAL PRESCREENING OF APPLICANTS FOR MILITARY SERVICE.

"(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense shall improve the medical prescreening of applicants for entrance into the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps.

"(b) Specific Steps.—As part of those improvements, the Secretary shall take the following steps:

"(1) Require that each applicant for service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps (A) provide to the Secretary the name of the applicant's medical insurer and the names of past medical providers, and (B) sign a release allowing the Secretary to request and obtain medical records of the applicant.

"(2) Require that the forms and procedures for medical prescreening of applicants that are used by recruiters and by Military Entrance Processing Commands be revised so as to ensure that medical questions are specific, unambiguous, and tied directly to the types of medical separations most common for recruits during basic training and follow-on training.

"(3) Add medical screening tests to the examinations of recruits carried out by Military Entrance Processing Stations, provide more thorough medical examinations to selected groups of applicants, or both, to the extent that the Secretary determines that to do so could be cost effective in reducing attrition at basic training.

"(4) Provide for an annual quality control assessment of the effectiveness of the Military Entrance Processing Commands in identifying medical conditions in recruits that existed before enlistment in the Armed Forces, each such assessment to be performed by an agency or contractor other than the Military Entrance Processing Commands.

"SEC. 533. IMPROVEMENTS IN PHYSICAL FITNESS OF RECRUITS.

"(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense shall take steps to improve the physical fitness of recruits before they enter basic training.

"(b) Specific Steps.—As part of those improvements, the Secretary shall take the following steps:

"(1) Direct the Secretary of each military department to implement programs under which new recruits who are in the Delayed Entry Program are encouraged to participate in physical fitness activities before reporting to basic training.

"(2) Develop a range of incentives for new recruits to participate in physical fitness programs, as well as for those recruits who improve their level of fitness while in the Delayed Entry Program, which may include access to Department of Defense military fitness facilities, and access to military medical facilities in the case of a recruit who is injured while participating in physical activities with recruiters or other military personnel.

"(3) Evaluate whether partnerships between recruiters and reserve components, or other innovative arrangements, could provide a pool of qualified personnel to assist in the conduct of physical training programs for new recruits in the Delayed Entry Program."

Denial of Funds for Preventing ROTC Access to Campus or Federal Military Recruiting on Campus; Exceptions

Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(e) [title V, §514], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–233, 3009-270, which provided that none of the funds made available in any Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for any fiscal year could be provided by contract or by grant to a covered educational entity if the Secretary of Defense determined that the covered educational entity had a policy or practice that prohibited or prevented the maintaining, establishing, or operation of a unit of the Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps at the covered educational entity, or a student at the covered educational entity from enrolling in a unit of the Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps at another institution of higher education, or prohibited or prevented entry to campuses, or access to students on campuses, for purposes of Federal military recruiting or access by military recruiters for purposes of Federal military recruiting to student names, addresses, and telephone listings and, if known, student ages, levels of education, and majors, was repealed and restated in section 983 of this title by Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title V, §549(a)(1), (b)(2), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 609, 611.

"(1) that the Secretary of Defense obtain and compile directory information pertaining to students enrolled in secondary schools throughout the United States; and

"(2) that such directory information be used only for military recruiting purposes and be retained in the case of each person with respect to whom such information is obtained and compiled for a limited period of time."

"(1) that secondary educational institutions in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of the United States should cooperate with the Armed Forces by allowing recruiting personnel access to such institutions; and

"(2) that it is appropriate for such institutions to release to the Armed Forces information regarding students at such institutions (including such data as names, addresses, and education levels) which is relevant to recruiting individuals for service in the Armed Forces."

§504. Persons not qualified

(a) Insanity, Desertion, Felons, Etc.—No person who is insane, intoxicated, or a deserter from an armed force, or who has been convicted of a felony, may be enlisted in any armed force. However, the Secretary concerned may authorize exceptions, in meritorious cases, for the enlistment of deserters and persons convicted of felonies.

(b) Citizenship or Residency.—(1) A person may be enlisted in any armed force only if the person is one of the following:

(A) A national of the United States, as defined in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)).

(B) An alien who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence, as defined in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20)).

(C) A person described in section 341 of one of the following compacts:

(i) The Compact of Free Association between the Federated States of Micronesia and the United States (section 201(a) of Public Law 108–188 (117 Stat. 2784; 48 U.S.C. 1921 note)).

(ii) The Compact of Free Association between the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the United States (section 201(b) of Public Law 108–188 (117 Stat. 2823; 48 U.S.C. 1921 note)).

(iii) The Compact of Free Association between Palau and the United States (section 201 of Public Law 99–658 (100 Stat. 3678; 48 U.S.C. 1931 note)).

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), and subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary concerned may authorize the enlistment of a person not described in paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that such person possesses a critical skill or expertise—

(A) that is vital to the national interest; and

(B) that the person will use in the primary daily duties of that person as a member of the armed forces.

(3)(A) No person who enlists under paragraph (2) may report to initial training until after the Secretary concerned has completed all required background investigations and security and suitability screening as determined by the Secretary of Defense regarding that person.

(B) A Secretary concerned may not authorize more than 1,000 enlistments under paragraph (2) per military department in a calendar year until after—

(i) the Secretary of Defense submits to Congress written notice of the intent of that Secretary concerned to authorize more than 1,000 such enlistments in a calendar year; and

(ii) a period of 30 days has elapsed after the date on which Congress receives the notice.

§505. Regular components: qualifications, term, grade

(a) The Secretary concerned may accept original enlistments in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, of qualified, effective, and able-bodied persons who are not less than seventeen years of age nor more than forty-two years of age. However, no person under eighteen years of age may be originally enlisted without the written consent of his parent or guardian, if he has a parent or guardian entitled to his custody and control.

(b) A person is enlisted in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard in the grade or rating prescribed by the Secretary concerned.

(c) The Secretary concerned may accept original enlistments of persons for the duration of their minority or for a period of at least two but not more than eight years, in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be.

(d)(1) The Secretary concerned may accept a reenlistment in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, for a period determined under this subsection.

(2) In the case of a member who has less than 10 years of service in the armed forces as of the day before the first day of the period for which reenlisted, the period for which the member reenlists shall be at least two years but not more than eight years.

(3) In the case of a member who has at least 10 years of service in the armed forces as of the day before the first day of the period for which reenlisted, the Secretary concerned may accept a reenlistment for either—

(A) a specified period of at least two years but not more than eight years; or

(B) an unspecified period.

(4) No enlisted member is entitled to be reenlisted for a period that would expire before the end of the member's current enlistment.

1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–201 amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: "The Secretary concerned may accept reenlistments in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, for period of at least two but not more than six years. No enlisted member is entitled to be reenlisted for a period that would expire before the end of his current enlistment."

1983—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 98–94 substituted "at least two but not more than six years" for "two, three, four, five, or six years".

1978—Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 95–485 redesignated subsec. (e) as (d). Former subsec. (d), which provided that in the Regular Army female persons may be enlisted only in the Women's Army Corps, was struck out.

1974—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 93–290, §1, struck out provisions which prohibited the Secretary from accepting original enlistments from female persons less than 18 years of age, and which required consent of the parent or guardian for an original enlistment of a female person under 21 years of age.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93–290, §2, substituted provisions permitting the Secretary to accept original enlistments of persons for the duration of their minority or for a period of two, three, four, five, or six years, for provisions which limited the Secretary to accept original enlistments from male persons for the duration of their minority or for a period of two, three, four, five, or six years, and from female persons for a period of two, three, four, five, or six years.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

§506. Regular components: extension of enlistments during war

An enlistment in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard in effect at the beginning of a war, or entered into during a war, unless sooner terminated by the President, continues in effect until six months after the termination of that war.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

§507. Extension of enlistment for members needing medical care or hospitalization

(a) An enlisted member of an armed force on active duty whose term of enlistment expires while he is suffering from disease or injury incident to service and not due to his misconduct, and who needs medical care or hospitalization, may be retained on active duty, with his consent, until he recovers to the extent that he is able to meet the physical requirements for reenlistment, or it is determined that recovery to that extent is impossible.

(b) This section does not prevent the retention in service, without his consent, of an enlisted member of an armed force under section 972 of this title.

§508. Reenlistment: qualifications

(a) No person whose service during his last term of enlistment was not honest and faithful may be reenlisted in an armed force. However, the Secretary concerned may authorize the reenlistment in the armed force under his jurisdiction of such a person if his conduct after that service has been good.

(b) A person discharged from a Regular component may be reenlisted in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard, as the case may be, under such regulations as the Secretary concerned may prescribe.

(c) This section does not deprive a person of any right to be reenlisted in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, Regular Marine Corps, or Regular Coast Guard under any other provision of law.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

§509. Voluntary extension of enlistments: periods and benefits

(a) Under such regulations as the Secretary concerned may prescribe, the term of enlistment of a member of an armed force may be extended or reextended with his written consent for any period. However, the total of all such extensions of an enlistment may not exceed four years.

(b) When a member is discharged from an enlistment that has been extended under this section, he has the same rights, privileges, and benefits that he would have if discharged at the same time from an enlistment not so extended.

§510. Enlistment incentives for pursuit of skills to facilitate national service

(a) Enlistment Incentive Program.—The Secretary of Defense shall carry out an enlistment incentive program in accordance with this section under which a person who is a National Call to Service participant shall be entitled to one of the incentives specified in subsection (e). The program shall be carried out during the period ending on December 31, 2007, and may be carried out after that date.

(b) National Call to Service Participant.—In this section, the term "National Call to Service participant" means a person who has not previously served in the armed forces who enters into an original enlistment pursuant to a written agreement with the Secretary of a military department (in such form and manner as may be prescribed by that Secretary) under which the person agrees to perform a period of national service as specified in subsection (c).

(c) National Service.—The total period of national service to which a National Call to Service participant is obligated under the agreement under this section shall be specified in the agreement. Under the agreement, the participant shall—

(1) upon completion of initial entry training (as prescribed by the Secretary of Defense), serve on active duty in a military occupational specialty designated by the Secretary of Defense under subsection (d) for a period of 15 months;

(2) upon completion of the period of active duty specified in paragraph (1) and without a break in service, serve either (A) an additional period of active duty as determined by the Secretary of Defense, or (B) a period of 24 months in an active status in the Selected Reserve; and

(3) upon completion of the period of service specified in paragraph (2), and without a break in service, serve the remaining period of obligated service specified in the agreement—

(A) on active duty in the armed forces;

(B) in the Selected Reserve;

(C) in the Individual Ready Reserve;

(D) in Americorps or another domestic national service program jointly designated by the Secretary of Defense and the head of such program for purposes of this section; or

(E) in any combination of service referred to in subparagraphs (A) through (D) that is approved by the Secretary of the military department concerned pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense and specified in the agreement.

(d) Designated Military Occupational Specialties.—The Secretary of Defense shall designate military occupational specialties for purposes of subsection (c)(1). Such military occupational specialties shall be military occupational specialties that, as determined by the Secretary, will facilitate pursuit of national service by National Call to Service participants and shall include military occupational specialties for enlistments for officer training and subsequent service as an officer, in cases in which the reason for the enlistment and entry into an agreement under subsection (b) is to enter an officer training program.

(e) Incentives.—The incentives specified in this subsection are as follows:

(1) Payment of a bonus in the amount of $5,000.

(2) Payment in an amount not to exceed $18,000 of outstanding principal and interest on qualifying student loans of the National Call to Service participant.

(3) Entitlement to an allowance for educational assistance at the monthly rate equal to the monthly rate payable for basic educational assistance allowances under section 3015(a)(1) of title 38 for a total of 12 months.

(4) Entitlement to an allowance for educational assistance at the monthly rate equal to 50 percent of the monthly rate payable for basic educational assistance allowances under section 3015(b)(1) of title 38 for a total of 36 months.

(f) Election of Incentive.—A National Call to Service participant shall elect in the agreement under subsection (b) which incentive under subsection (e) to receive. An election under this subsection is irrevocable.

(g) Payment of Bonus Amounts.—(1) Payment to a National Call to Service participant of the bonus elected by the National Call to Service participant under subsection (e)(1) shall be made in such time and manner as the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe.

(2)(A) Payment of outstanding principal and interest on the qualifying student loans of a National Call to Service participant, as elected under subsection (e)(2), shall be made in such time and manner as the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe.

(B) Payment under this paragraph of the outstanding principal and interest on the qualifying student loans of a National Call to Service participant shall be made to the holder of such student loans, as identified by the National Call to Service participant to the Secretary of the military department concerned for purposes of such payment.

(3) Payment of a bonus or incentive in accordance with this subsection shall be made by the Secretary of the military department concerned.

(h) Coordination With Montgomery GI Bill Benefits.—(1)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), a National Call to Service participant who elects an incentive under paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (e) is not entitled to additional educational assistance under chapter 1606 of this title or to basic educational assistance under subchapter II of chapter 30 of title 38.

(B) If a National Call to Service participant meets all eligibility requirements specified in chapter 1606 of this title or chapter 30 of title 38 for entitlement to allowances for educational assistance under either such chapter, the participant may become eligible for allowances for educational assistance benefits under either such chapter up to the maximum allowance provided less the total amount of allowance paid under paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (e).

(2)(A) Educational assistance under paragraphs (3) or (4) of subsection (e) shall be provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs under an agreement to be entered into by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The agreements shall include administrative procedures to ensure the prompt and timely transfer of funds from the Secretary concerned to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the making of payments under this section.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of sections 503, 511, 3470, 3471, 3474, 3476, 3482(g), 3483, and 3485 of title 38 and the provisions of subchapters I and II of chapter 36 of such title (with the exception of sections 3686(a), 3687, and 3692) shall be applicable to the provision of educational assistance under this chapter. The term "eligible veteran" and the term "person", as used in those provisions, shall be deemed for the purpose of the application of those provisions to this section to refer to a person eligible for educational assistance under paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (e).

(3)(A) Except as provided in paragraph (1), nothing in this section shall prohibit a National Call to Service participant who satisfies through service under subsection (c) the eligibility requirements for educational assistance under chapter 1606 of this title or basic educational assistance under chapter 30 of title 38 from an entitlement to such educational assistance under chapter 1606 of this title or basic educational assistance under chapter 30 of title 38, as the case may be.

(B)(i) A participant who made an election not to receive educational assistance under either such chapter at the applicable time specified under law or who was denied the opportunity to make an election may revoke that election or make an initial election, as the case may be, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary concerned may specify. A revocation or initial election under the preceding sentence is irrevocable.

(ii) The participant making a revocation or initial election under clause (i) shall be eligible for educational assistance under either such chapter at such time as the participant satisfies through service the applicable eligibility requirements under either such chapter.

(i) Repayment.—If a National Call to Service participant who has entered into an agreement under subsection (b) and received or benefitted from an incentive under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (e) fails to complete the total period of service specified in the agreement, the National Call to Service participant shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) or 373 of title 37.

(j) Funding.—(1) Amounts for the payment of incentives under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (e) shall be derived from amounts available to the Secretary of the military department concerned for the payment of pay, allowances and other expenses of the members of the armed force concerned.

(2) Amounts for the payment of incentives under paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (e) shall be derived from the Department of Defense Education Benefits Fund under section 2006 of this title.

(k) Regulations.—The Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the military departments shall prescribe regulations for purposes of the program under this section.

(l) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term "Americorps" means the Americorps program carried out under subtitle C of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.).

(2) The term "qualifying student loan" means a loan, the proceeds of which were used to pay any part or all of the cost of attendance (as defined in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll) at an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

(3) The term "Secretary of a military department" includes, with respect to matters concerning the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating.

References in Text

The National and Community Service Act of 1990, referred to in subsec. (l)(1), is Pub. L. 101–610, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3127, as amended. Subtitle C of title I of the Act is classified generally to division C (§12571 et seq.) of subchapter I of chapter 129 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 12501 of Title 42 and Tables.

Prior Provisions

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (c)(3)(D). Pub. L. 109–163, §545(a), substituted "in Americorps or another domestic national service program" for "in the Peace Corps, Americorps, or another national service program".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–163, §545(b), as amended by Pub. L. 109–364, inserted "and shall include military occupational specialties for enlistments for officer training and subsequent service as an officer, in cases in which the reason for the enlistment and entry into an agreement under subsection (b) is to enter an officer training program" before period at end.

"(2)(A) The Secretary of Defense shall, to the maximum extent practicable, administer the receipt by National Call to Service participants of incentives under paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (e) as if such National Call to Service participants were, in receiving such incentives, receiving educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve under chapter 1606 of this title.

"(B) The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, prescribe regulations for purposes of subparagraph (A). Such regulations shall, to the maximum extent practicable, take into account the administrative provisions of chapters 30 and 36 of title 38 that are specified in section 16136 of this title."

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 109–163, §687(c)(1), amended heading and text of subsec. (i) generally. Prior to amendment, text consisted of pars. (1) to (4) which related to pro rata repayments by failed National Call to Service participants, the nature of the debt owed, waiver and discharge in bankruptcy.

2003—Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 108–136 reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "Amounts for payment of incentives under subsection (e), including payment of allowances for educational assistance under that subsection, shall be derived from amounts available to the Secretary of the military department concerned for payment of pay, allowances, and other expenses of the members of the armed force concerned."

Savings Provision

Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title VI, §687(f), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3336, provided that: "In the case of any bonus, incentive pay, special pay, or similar payment, such as education assistance or a stipend, which the United States became obligated to pay before April 1, 2006, under a provision of law amended by subsection (b), (c), or (d) of this section [amending this section and sections 2005, 2007, 2105, 2123, 2130a, 2173, 2200a, 4348, 6959, 9348, 16135, 16203, 16303, and 16401 of this title, section 182 of Title 14, Coast Guard, and sections 301b, 301d, 301e, 302, 302a, 302b, 302d to 302h, 302j, 307a, 308, 308b, 308c, 308g to 308i, 309, 312, 312b, 314 to 319, and 321 to 327 of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services], such provision of law, as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 6, 2006], shall continue to apply to the payment, or any repayment, of the bonus, incentive pay, special pay, or similar payment under such provision of law."

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Effectiveness Reports

Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title V, §531(e), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2545, provided that: "Not later than March 31, 2005, and March 31, 2007, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the committees specified in subsection (d) reports on the effectiveness of the program under section 510 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), in attracting new recruits to national service."

§511. College First Program

(a) Program Authority.—The Secretary of each military department may establish a program to increase the number of, and the level of the qualifications of, persons entering the armed forces as enlisted members by encouraging recruits to pursue higher education or vocational or technical training before entry into active service.

(A) to accept the enlistment of a person as a Reserve for service in the Selected Reserve or Individual Ready Reserve of a reserve component, notwithstanding the scope of the authority under subsection (a) of that section, in the case of the Army National Guard of the United States or Air National Guard of the United States; and

(B) to authorize, notwithstanding the period limitation in subsection (b) of that section, a delay of the enlistment of any such person in a regular component under that subsection for the period during which the person is enrolled in, and pursuing a program of education at, an institution of higher education, or a program of vocational or technical training, on a full-time basis that is to be completed within the maximum period of delay determined for that person under subsection (c); and

(2) subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (d) and except as provided in paragraph (3) of that subsection, pay an allowance to a person accepted for enlistment under paragraph (1)(A) for each month of the period during which that person is enrolled in and pursuing a program described in paragraph (1)(B).

(c) Maximum Period of Delay.—The period of delay authorized a person under paragraph (1)(B) of subsection (b) may not exceed the 30-month period beginning on the date of the person's enlistment accepted under paragraph (1)(A) of such subsection.

(d) Allowance.—(1) The monthly allowance paid under subsection (b)(2) shall be equal to the amount of the subsistence allowance provided for certain members of the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps with the corresponding number of years of participation under section 209(a) of title 37. The Secretary concerned may supplement that stipend by an amount not to exceed $225 per month.

(2) An allowance may not be paid to a person under this section for more than 24 months.

(3) A member of the Selected Reserve of a reserve component may be paid an allowance under this section only for months during which the member performs satisfactorily as a member of a unit of the reserve component that trains as prescribed in section 10147(a)(1) of this title or section 502(a) of title 32. Satisfactory performance shall be determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.

(4) An allowance under this section is in addition to any other pay or allowance to which a member of a reserve component is entitled by reason of participation in the Ready Reserve of that component.

(e) Recoupment of Allowance.—(1) A person who, after receiving an allowance under this section, fails to complete the total period of service required of that person in connection with delayed entry authorized for the person under section 513 shall repay the United States the amount which bears the same ratio to the total amount of that allowance paid to the person as the unserved part of the total required period of service bears to the total period.

(2) An obligation to repay the United States imposed under paragraph (1) is for all purposes a debt owed to the United States.

(3) A discharge of a person in bankruptcy under title 11 that is entered less than five years after the date on which the person was, or was to be, enlisted in the regular Army pursuant to the delayed entry authority under section 513 does not discharge that person from a debt arising under paragraph (1).

(4) The Secretary concerned may waive, in whole or in part, a debt arising under paragraph (1) in any case for which the Secretary determines that recovery would be against equity and good conscience or would be contrary to the best interests of the United States.

(f) Special Pay and Bonuses.—Upon enlisting in the regular component of the member's armed force, a person who initially enlisted as a Reserve under this section may, at the discretion of the Secretary concerned, be eligible for all regular special pays, bonuses, education benefits, and loan repayment programs.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 511 was renumbered section 12103 of this title.

Continuation for Army of Prior Army College First Program

Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, §551(b), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1911, provided that: "The Secretary of the Army shall treat the program under section 511 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), as a continuation of the program under section 573 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 [Pub. L. 106–65] ([formerly] 10 U.S.C. 513 note), and for such purpose the Secretary may treat such section 511 as having been enacted on October 1, 2004."

[§512. Renumbered §12104]

§513. Enlistments: Delayed Entry Program

(a) A person with no prior military service who is qualified under section 505 of this title and applicable regulations for enlistment in a regular component of an armed force may (except as provided in subsection (c)) be enlisted as a Reserve for service in the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, or Coast Guard Reserve for a term of not less than six years nor more than eight years.

(b)(1) Unless sooner ordered to active duty under chapter 39 of this title or another provision of law, a person enlisted under subsection (a) shall, within 365 days after such enlistment, be discharged from the reserve component in which enlisted and immediately be enlisted in the regular component of an armed force.

(2) The Secretary concerned may extend the 365-day period described in paragraph (1) for any person for up to an additional 365 days if the Secretary determines that it is in the best interests of the armed force of which that person is a member to do so.

(3)(A) The Secretary concerned may extend by up to an additional 365 days the period of extension under paragraph (2) for a person who enlisted before October 1, 2017, under section 504(b)(2) of this title if the Secretary determines that the period of extension under this paragraph is required for the performance of adequate background and security reviews of that person.

(B) A person whose period of extension under paragraph (2) is extended under this paragraph shall undergo all security and suitability screening requirements and receive a favorable military security suitability determination before entering into service in a regular or reserve component. Screening priority shall be given to those persons who were enlisted for a military occupational specialty that requires specialized language or medical skills that are vital to the national interest.

(C) The authority to make an extension under this paragraph shall expire one year after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. The expiration of such authority shall not effect the validity of any extension made in accordance with this paragraph on or before that date.

(4) During the period beginning on the date on which the person enlists under subsection (a) and ending on the date on which the person is enlisted in a regular component under this subsection, the person shall be in the Ready Reserve of the armed force concerned.

(c) A person who is under orders to report for induction into an armed force under the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.), except as provided in clause (ii) or (iii) of section 6(c)(2)(A) of that Act (50 U.S.C. 3806(c)(2)(A)), may not be enlisted under subsection (a).

(d) This section shall be carried out under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy.

References in Text

The date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, referred to in subsec. (b)(3)(C), means the date of enactment of Pub. L. 115–91, which was approved Dec. 12, 2017.

The Military Selective Service Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is title I of act June 24, 1948, ch. 625, 62 Stat. 604, which is classified principally to chapter 49 (§3801 et seq.) of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see References in Text note set out under section 3801 of Title 50 and Tables.

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–201 inserted "The Secretary concerned may extend the 365-day period for any person for up to an additional 180 days if the Secretary determines that it is in the best interests of the armed force of which that person is a member to do so." after first sentence, "(1)" before "Unless", and "(2)" before "During" and substituted "paragraph (1)" for "the preceding sentence".

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

§514. Bounties prohibited; substitutes prohibited

(a) No bounty may be paid to induce any person to enlist in an armed force. A clothing allowance or enlistment bonus authorized by law is not a bounty for the purposes of this subsection.

(b) No person liable for active duty in an armed force under this subtitle may furnish a substitute for that active duty. No person may be enlisted or appointed in an armed force as a substitute for another person.

In subsection (b), the words "active duty" are substituted for the words "training and service". The word "may" is substituted for the words "shall be permitted or allowed". The last sentence is substituted for 50 App.:458 (words between 1st and last semicolons). 50 App.:458 (words after last semicolon) is omitted as applicable only to induction.

§515. Reenlistment after discharge as warrant officer

A person who has been discharged from a regular component of an armed force under section 1165 or 1166 of this title may, upon his request and in the discretion of the Secretary concerned, be enlisted in that armed force in the grade prescribed by the Secretary. However, a person discharged under section 1165 of this title may not be enlisted in a grade lower than the grade that he held immediately before appointment as a warrant officer.

The first 20 words are inserted for clarity. The word "request" is substituted for the word "application".

§516. Effect upon enlisted status of acceptance of appointment as cadet or midshipman

(a) The enlistment or period of obligated service of an enlisted member of the armed forces who accepts an appointment as a cadet at the United States Military Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, or the United States Coast Guard Academy, or as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy or in the Navy Reserve, may not be terminated because of the acceptance of that appointment. However, while serving as a cadet or midshipman at an Academy, he is entitled only to the pay, allowances, compensation, pensions, and other benefits provided by law for such a cadet or midshipman or, if he is a midshipman in the Navy Reserve, to the compensation and emoluments of a midshipman in the Navy Reserve.

(b) If a person covered by subsection (a) is separated from service as a cadet or midshipman, or from service as a midshipman in the Navy Reserve, for any reason other than his appointment as a commissioned officer of a regular or reserve component of an armed force or because of a physical disability, he resumes his enlisted status and shall complete the period of service for which he was enlisted or for which he has an obligation, unless he is sooner discharged. In computing the unexpired part of an enlistment or period of obligated service for the purposes of this subsection, all service as a cadet or midshipman is counted as service under that enlistment or period of obligated service.

In subsection (a), the words "on or after June 25, 1956" are omitted as executed. The words "Regular, Reserve" and "during the continuation of the cadet or midshipman status of such member" are omitted as surplusage. The words "if he is a midshipman in the Naval Reserve * * * of a midshipman in the Naval Reserve" are substituted for the words "accruing to such reserve midshipman by virtue of his status in the Naval Reserve".

In subsection (b), the words "a person covered by subsection (a)" are substituted for 50:1412 (1st 84 words of 1st sentence). The words "his appointment as a commissioned officer of" are substituted for the words "the acceptance of a commission in". The words "and shall complete the period of service for which he was enlisted or for which he has an obligation, unless he is sooner discharged" are substituted for 50:1412 (2d sentence). The words "promoted or" are omitted as unnecessary, since the only kind of promotion involved is that to officer, in which case the member is discharged from his enlisted status. The words "as service under that enlistment" are substituted for the words "as time serviced under such contract".

Amendments

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

§517. Authorized daily average: members in pay grades E–8 and E–9

(a) The authorized daily average number of enlisted members on active duty (other than for training) in an armed force in pay grades E–8 and E–9 in a fiscal year may not be more than 2.5 percent and 1.25 percent, respectively, of the number of enlisted members of that armed force who are on active duty (other than for training) on the first day of that fiscal year. In computing the limitations prescribed in the preceding sentence, there shall be excluded enlisted members of an armed force on active duty as authorized under section 115(a)(1)(B) or 115(b) of this title, or excluded from counting for active duty end strengths under section 115(i) of this title.

(b) Whenever the number of members serving in pay grade E–9 is less than the number authorized for that grade under subsection (a), the difference between the two numbers may be applied to increase the number authorized under such subsection for pay grade E–8.

(c) Whenever under section 527 of this title the President may suspend the operation of any provision of section 523, 525, or 526 of this title, the Secretary of Defense may suspend the operation of any provision of this section. Any such suspension shall, if not sooner ended, end in the manner specified in section 527 for a suspension under that section.

Amendments

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375 substituted "as authorized under section 115(a)(1)(B) or 115(b) of this title, or excluded from counting for active duty end strengths under section 115(i) of this title." for "(other than for training) in connection with organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve component of an armed force."

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–261, §1069(a)(2), substituted "The authorized" for "Except as provided in section 307 of title 37, the authorized".

Pub. L. 105–261, §407(a), substituted "a fiscal year" for "a calendar year" and "the first day of that fiscal year" for "January 1 of that year".

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–337, §552(a), inserted "(or, in the case of the Army, 2.5 percent)" after "may not be more than 2 percent".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–337, §1661(a)(4)(B), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out "or whenever the number of members serving in pay grade E–9 for duty described in subsection (b) is less than the number authorized for that grade under subsection (b)," after "under subsection (a),".

Pub. L. 103–337, §1662(a)(4)(A), struck out subsec. (b) which limited the number of enlisted members in pay grades E–8 and E–9 who could be on active duty (other than for training) or on full-time National Guard duty under the authority of section 502(f) of title 32 (other than for training) as of the end of any fiscal year in connection with organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components or the National Guard.

1993—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–160, in table, increased fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grades E–8 and E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the Air Force to 328 and 840 from 279 and 800, respectively.

1991—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–190, in table, increased fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grade E–8 on active duty affecting reserve components of the Air Force from 670 to 800, and increased limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grade E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the Army from 557 to 569, the Air Force from 231 to 279, and the Marine Corps from 13 to 14.

1989—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–189, §413(a)(2), in table, increased fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grades E–8 and E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the armed forces: Army, to 557 and 2,585 from 542 and 2,504, respectively; Navy, to 202 and 429 from 200 and 425, respectively; Air Force, to 231 and 670 from 224 and 637, respectively. Marine Corps figures remained unchanged.

Pub. L. 101–189, §413(a)(1), in table, increased fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grades E–8 and E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the armed forces: Army, to 542 and 2,504 from 529 and 2,350, respectively; Navy, to 200 and 425 from 180 and 400, respectively; Air Force, to 224 and 637 from 150 and 425, respectively. Marine Corps figures remained unchanged.

1987—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–180, §413(a)(2), in table, increased fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grades E–8 and E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the armed forces: Army, to 529 and 2,350 from 517 and 2,295, respectively; Navy, to 180 and 400 from 175 and 390, respectively; Air Force, to 150 and 425 from 125 and 425, respectively. Marine Corps figures remained unchanged.

Pub. L. 100–180, §413(a)(1), in table, increased fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grades E–8 and E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the armed forces: Navy, to 175 and 390 from 165 and 381, respectively; Air Force, to 125 and 425 from 80 and 358, respectively; Marine Corps, to 13 and 74 from 9 and 74, respectively. Army figures remained unchanged.

1985—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–145 in table, changed fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grades E–8 and E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the armed forces: Navy, to 165 and 381 from 156 and 381, respectively; Air Force, to 80 and 358 from 87 and 455, respectively. Army and Marine Corps figures remained unchanged.

1984—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–525, §414(a)(2), inserted "(other than for training) or on full-time National Guard duty under the authority of section 502(f) of title 32 (other than for training)" and substituted "or the National Guard" for "of the armed forces" and "for that grade and armed force" for "prescribed for the grade and the armed force".

Pub. L. 98–525, §413(a), in table, increased fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grades E–8 and E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the armed forces: Army, to 2,295 and 517 from 1,494 and 314; Air Force, to 455 and 87 from 617 and 143; Marine Corps, to 74 and 9 from 56 and 6. Navy figures remained unchanged.

1983—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–94 increased fiscal year limitation on number of enlisted men in pay grades E–8 and E–9 on active duty affecting reserve components of the armed forces: Army, to 1,494 and 314 from 1,244 and 265; Navy, to 381 and 156 from 329 and 156; Air Force, to 617 and 143 from 441 and 132; Marine Corps figures remained unchanged.

1982—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–252 increased the numbers in columns from 222, 146, 76, and 4 in the line for E–9 to 265, 156, 132, and 6, respectively, and from 908, 319, 307, and 12 in line for E–8 to 1,244, 329, 441, and 56, respectively.

1981—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–86, §503(1), inserted column for "Marine Corps" in table and increased numbers in existing columns headed "Army", "Navy", and "Air Force" from 209, 140, and 71 in line for E–9 to 222, 146, and 76, respectively, and from 823, 302, and 302 in line for E–8 to 908, 319, and 307, respectively.

Amendment by section 1662(a)(4) of Pub. L. 103–337 effective Dec. 1, 1994, except as otherwise provided, see section 1691 of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as an Effective Date note under section 10001 of this title.

Authority To Waive Grade Strength Laws for Fiscal Year 1991; Certification; Relationship to Other Suspension Authority

Pub. L. 102–25, title II, §§201(b), 202, 205(b), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 79, 80, authorized Secretary of a military department to suspend, for fiscal year 1991, the operation of any provision of this section and section 523, 524 (now 12011), 525, or 526 of this title with respect to that military department, that such Secretary may exercise such authority only after submission to the congressional defense committees of a certification in writing that such authority is necessary because of personnel actions associated with Operation Desert Storm, and that such authority is in addition to the authority provided in section 527 of this title.

§518. Temporary enlistments

Temporary enlistments may be made only in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, as the case may be, without specification of component.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

§519. Temporary enlistments: during war or emergency

Except as provided in section 505 of this title and except for enlistments as Reserves of an armed force—

(1) temporary enlistments in an armed force entered into in time of war or of emergency declared by Congress shall be for the duration of the war or emergency plus six months; and

(2) only persons at least eighteen years of age and otherwise qualified under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned are eligible for such enlistments.

§520. Limitation on enlistment and induction of persons whose score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test is below a prescribed level

(a) The number of persons originally enlisted or inducted to serve on active duty (other than active duty for training) in any armed force during any fiscal year whose score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test is at or above the tenth percentile and below the thirty-first percentile may not exceed 20 percent of the total number of persons originally enlisted or inducted to serve on active duty (other than active duty for training) in such armed force during such fiscal year.

(b) A person who is not a high school graduate may not be accepted for enlistment in the armed forces unless the score of that person on the Armed Forces Qualification Test is at or above the thirty-first percentile; however, a person may not be denied enlistment in the armed forces solely because of his not having a high school diploma if his enlistment is needed to meet established strength requirements.

Historical and Revision Notes

1988 Act

Amendments

1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–370 inserted before period at end "; however, a person may not be denied enlistment in the armed forces solely because of his not having a high school diploma if his enlistment is needed to meet established strength requirements".

1983—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–94 struck out provisions under which, for fiscal years beginning on October 1, 1980, and October 1, 1981, the total number of persons originally enlisted or inducted to serve on active duty (other than active duty for training) in the armed forces during such fiscal years whose score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test was at or above the tenth percentile and below the thirty-first percentile could not exceed 25 percent of the number of such persons enlisted or inducted into the armed forces during such fiscal years, and, in the provisions remaining applicable to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1982, substituted "20 percent of the total number of persons originally enlisted or inducted to serve on active duty (other than active duty for training) in such armed force" for "20 percent of the number of such persons enlisted or inducted into such armed force".

1980—Pub. L. 96–579 struck out subsec. (a) designation and subsec. (b) authorizing the Secretary of Defense for national security reasons to waive the enlistment and induction limitation based on percentile limits conditioned upon notification of the Congress and a concurrent resolution of approval.

Amendments

1985—Pub. L. 99–145 substituted "enlistment" for "enlistments".

Effective Date

Pub. L. 98–525, title XIV, §1404, Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2621, provided that: "The amendments made by sections 1401 [enacting this section and sections 956, 979 to 981, 1047 to 1050, 1074b [now 1074c], 1093, 1589, 2007 to 2009, 2484, 2638, and 2639 of this title, amending sections 1074, 1077, 1079, 2104, and 7204 of this title, and repealing section 7208 of this title], 1402 [enacting section 306a of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services, and amending sections 206 and 404 of Title 37], and 1403 [amending provisions set out as a note under section 138 of this title and repealing provisions set out as notes under sections 138 and 2102 of this title] take effect on October 1, 1985."

§520c. Recruiting functions: provision of meals and refreshments

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, funds appropriated to the Department of Defense for recruitment of military personnel may be expended for small meals and refreshments during recruiting functions for the following persons:

(1) Persons who have enlisted under the Delayed Entry Program authorized by section 513 of this title.

(2) Persons who are objects of armed forces recruiting efforts.

(3) Persons whose assistance in recruiting efforts of the military departments is determined to be influential by the Secretary concerned.

(4) Members of the armed forces and Federal employees when attending recruiting functions in accordance with a requirement to do so.

(5) Other persons whose presence at recruiting functions will contribute to recruiting efforts.

Amendments

2003—Pub. L. 108–136 substituted "provision of meals and refreshments" for "use of funds" in section catchline, struck out "(a) Provision of Meals and Refreshments.—" before "Under regulations", and struck out heading and text of subsec. (b). Text read as follows: "Not later than February 1 of each of the years 1998 through 2002, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on the extent to which the authority under subsection (a) was exercised during the fiscal year ending in the preceding year."

1984—Pub. L. 98–525, title IV, §414(a)(4)(B)(ii), inserted references to the National Guard and to full-time National Guard duty in item 524.

§521. Authority to prescribe total strengths of officers on active duty and officer strengths in various categories

(a) Whenever the needs of the services require, but at least once each fiscal year, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe the total authorized active-duty strength as of the end of the fiscal year for officers in grades above chief warrant officer, W–5, for each of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military department.

(b) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of each military department may, for an armed force under his jurisdiction, prescribe the strength of any category of officers that may serve on active duty.

Amendments

Effective Date of 1991 Amendment

Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title XI, §1132, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1506, provided that: "This title [enacting sections 571 to 583 and 742 of this title, amending this section, sections 522, 597 [now 12241], 598 [now 12242], 603, 628, 644, 741, 1166, 1174, 1305, 1406, 5414, 5457, 5458, 5501 to 5503, 5596, 5600, 5665, 6389, and 6391 of this title, sections 286a and 334 of Title 14, Coast Guard, and sections 201, 301, 301c, 305a, and 406 of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services, repealing sections 555 to 565, 602, and 745 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 555 and 571 of this title and section 1009 of Title 37] and the amendments made by this title shall take effect on February 1, 1992."

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this chapter effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Transition Provisions Under Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

For provisions to prevent extinction or premature termination of rights, duties, penalties, or proceedings that existed or were begun prior to the effective date of Pub. L. 96–513 and otherwise to allow for an orderly transition to the system of officer personnel management put in place under Pub. L. 96–513, see section 601 et seq. of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title V, §502, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2402, directed the Secretary of Defense to provide for an independent, federally funded research and development center to review the officer personnel management system of each of the military departments and to determine and evaluate the effects of post-Cold War officer strength reductions on that officer personnel management system, required the center to submit to the Secretary of Defense a report on the results of the review and evaluation not later than Dec. 31, 1993, and directed the Secretary to transmit the report to committees of Congress within 60 days after receipt.

Strength of Active Duty Officer Corps

"(1) The number of officers serving on active duty (excluding officers in categories specified in paragraph (2)) as of September 30, 1990, may not exceed—

"(A) in the case of the Army, 106,427; and

"(B) in the case of the Air Force, 102,438.

"(2) Officers in the categories described in section 403(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987 [Pub. L. 99–661, set out below] shall be excluded in counting officers under this subsection."

"(a) Authority To Increase for Fiscal Year 1988.—Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense may increase by not more than 1 percentage point (to not more than 98 percent) the percentage limitation prescribed in section 403(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987 (Public Law 99–661; 100 Stat. 3859) [set out below] applicable to the total number of commissioned officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps that may be serving on active duty as of September 30, 1988.

"(b) Certification and Report.—The Secretary may exercise the authority under subsection (a) only if—

"(1) the Secretary makes a determination that such increase is necessary in order to avoid severe personnel management problems in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps during fiscal year 1988 and certifies such determination to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives; and

"(2) the Secretary submits to those Committees with such certification a report providing legislative recommendations for temporary changes in chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, and other provisions of law enacted by the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (Public Law 96–513) [see Tables for classification] that the Secretary considers necessary in order to implement the required officer reductions under such section 403 [set out below] with the least possible adverse effect on the Armed Forces."

"(a) Reduction in Size of Officer Corps.—On and after each of the dates set forth in column 1 of the following table, the total number of commissioned officers serving on active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)) may not exceed the percentage, set forth in column 2 opposite such date, of the total number of commissioned officers serving on active duty as of September 30, 1986 (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)):

Column 1

Column 2

On and after:

Percentage of total commissioned officers serving on

active duty as of

September 30, 1986:

September 30, 1987

99

September 30, 1988

97

"(b) Exclusions.—In computing the authorized strength of commissioned officers under subsection (a), officers in the following categories shall be excluded:

"(1) Reserve officers—

"(A) on active duty for training;

"(B) on active duty under section 10148(a), 10211, 10302 through 10305, 12301(a), or 12402 of title 10, United States Code, or under section 708 of title 32, United States Code;

"(C) on active duty under section 12301(d) of title 10, United States Code, in connection with organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components or the National Guard;

"(D) on active duty to pursue special work;

"(E) ordered to active duty under section 12304 of title 10, United States Code; or

"(F) on full-time National Guard duty.

"(2) Retired officers on active duty under a call or order to active duty for 180 days or less.

"(3) Reserve or retired officers on active duty under section 10(b)(2) of the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 460(b)(2)) [now 50 U.S.C. 3809(b)(2)] for the administration of the Selective Service System.

"(c) Apportionment of Reductions by Secretary of Defense.—The Secretary of Defense shall apportion the reductions in the number of commissioned officers serving on active duty required by subsection (a) among the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Not later than February 1 of each fiscal year in which reductions are required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the manner in which the reductions have been or are to be apportioned for that fiscal year and for the next fiscal year for which such reductions are required."

Effective Date of Repeal

Repeal effective on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Oct. 28, 2004, see section 501(g) of Pub. L. 108–375, set out as an Effective Date of 2004 Amendment note under section 531 of this title.

(a)(1) Except as provided in subsection (c), of the total number of commissioned officers serving on active duty in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps at the end of any fiscal year (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)), the number of officers who may be serving on active duty in each of the grades of major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel may not, as of the end of such fiscal year, exceed a number determined in accordance with the following table:

Total number of commissioned officers (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)) on active duty:

Number of officers who may be serving on active duty in grade of:

Major

Lieutenant Colonel

Colonel

Army:

20,000

7,768

5,253

1,613

25,000

8,689

5,642

1,796

30,000

9,611

6,030

1,980

35,000

10,532

6,419

2,163

40,000

11,454

6,807

2,347

45,000

12,375

7,196

2,530

50,000

13,297

7,584

2,713

55,000

14,218

7,973

2,897

60,000

15,140

8,361

3,080

65,000

16,061

8,750

3,264

70,000

16,983

9,138

3,447

75,000

17,903

9,527

3,631

80,000

18,825

9,915

3,814

85,000

19,746

10,304

3,997

90,000

20,668

10,692

4,181

95,000

21,589

11,081

4,364

100,000

22,511

11,469

4,548

110,000

24,354

12,246

4,915

120,000

26,197

13,023

5,281

130,000

28,040

13,800

5,648

170,000

35,412

16,908

7,116

Air Force:

35,000

9,216

7,090

2,125

40,000

10,025

7,478

2,306

45,000

10,835

7,866

2,487

50,000

11,645

8,253

2,668

55,000

12,454

8,641

2,849

60,000

13,264

9,029

3,030

65,000

14,073

9,417

3,211

70,000

14,883

9,805

3,392

75,000

15,693

10,193

3,573

80,000

16,502

10,582

3,754

85,000

17,312

10,971

3,935

90,000

18,121

11,360

4,115

95,000

18,931

11,749

4,296

100,000

19,741

12,138

4,477

105,000

20,550

12,527

4,658

110,000

21,360

12,915

4,838

115,000

22,169

13,304

5,019

120,000

22,979

13,692

5,200

125,000

23,789

14,081

5,381

Marine Corps:

10,000

2,802

1,615

633

12,500

3,247

1,768

658

15,000

3,691

1,922

684

17,500

4,135

2,076

710

20,000

4,579

2,230

736

22,500

5,024

2,383

762

25,000

5,468

2,537

787.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (c), of the total number of commissioned officers serving on active duty in the Navy at the end of any fiscal year (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)), the number of officers who may be serving on active duty in each of the grades of lieutenant commander, commander, and captain may not, as of the end of such fiscal year, exceed a number determined in accordance with the following table:

Total number of commissioned officers (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)) on active duty:

Number of officers who may be serving on active duty in grade of:

Lieutenant Commander

Commander

Captain

Navy:

30,000

7,698

5,269

2,222

33,000

8,189

5,501

2,334

36,000

8,680

5,733

2,447

39,000

9,172

5,965

2,559

42,000

9,663

6,197

2,671

45,000

10,155

6,429

2,784

48,000

10,646

6,660

2,896

51,000

11,136

6,889

3,007

54,000

11,628

7,121

3,120

57,000

12,118

7,352

3,232

60,000

12,609

7,583

3,344

63,000

13,100

7,813

3,457

66,000

13,591

8,044

3,568

70,000

14,245

8,352

3,718

90,000

17,517

9,890

4,467.

(3) If the total number of commissioned officers serving on active duty in an armed force (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)) is between any two consecutive figures listed in the first column of the appropriate table in paragraph (1) or (2), the corresponding authorized strengths for each of the grades shown in that table for that armed force are determined by mathematical interpolation between the respective numbers of the two strengths. If the total number of commissioned officers serving on active duty in an armed force (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b)) is greater or less than the figures listed in the first column of the appropriate table in paragraph (1) or (2), the Secretary concerned shall fix the corresponding strengths for the grades shown in that table in the same proportion as reflected in the nearest limit shown in the table.

(b) Officers in the following categories shall be excluded in computing and determining authorized strengths under this section:

(1) Reserve officers—

(A) on active duty as authorized under section 115(a)(1)(B) or 115(b)(1) of this title, or excluded from counting for active duty end strengths under section 115(i) of this title;

(B) on active duty under section 10211, 10302 through 10305, or 12402 of this title or under section 708 of title 32; or

(C) on full-time National Guard duty.

(2) General and flag officers.

(3) Medical officers.

(4) Dental officers.

(5) Warrant officers.

(6) Retired officers on active duty under a call or order to active duty for 180 days or less.

(7) Retired officers on active duty under section 10(b)(2) of the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 3809(b)(2)) for the administration of the Selective Service System.

(8) Permanent professors of the United States Military Academy and the United States Air Force Academy and professors of the United States Naval Academy who are career military professors (as defined in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy), but not to exceed 50 from any such academy.

(9) Officers who are Senior Military Acquisition Advisors under section 1725 of this title, but not to exceed 15.

(c) Whenever the number of officers serving in any grade is less than the number authorized for that grade under this section, the difference between the two numbers may be applied to increase the number authorized under this section for any lower grade.

(d) An officer may not be reduced in grade, or have his pay or allowances reduced, because of a reduction in the number of commissioned officers authorized for his grade under this section.

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Temporary Variation in DOPMA Authorized End Strength Limitations for Active Duty Air Force and Navy Officers in Certain Grades

Temporary Increase in Officer Grade Limitations

Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title IV, §403, Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1431, authorized the Secretary of Defense, until Sept. 30, 1991, to increase the strength-in-grade limitations specified in subsec. (a) of this section by a total of 250 positions, to be distributed among grades and services as the Secretary considers appropriate and directed the Secretary to submit to Congress a comprehensive report on the adequacy of the strength-in-grade limitations prescribed in subsec. (a) of this section.

Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title IV, §403, Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 1963, provided that the number of officers authorized under this section to be serving on active duty in the Air Force in the grade of colonel during fiscal year 1989 was reduced by 125, and the number of such officers authorized to be serving on active duty during fiscal year 1990 was reduced by 250.

Transition Provisions Under Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

For provisions increasing for the fiscal year ending on Sept. 30, 1981, the maximum number of officers authorized by this section to be serving on active duty, see section 627 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

[§524. Renumbered §12011]

§525. Distribution of commissioned officers on active duty in general officer and flag officer grades

(a) For purposes of the applicable limitation in section 526(a) of this title on general and flag officers on active duty, no appointment of an officer on the active duty list may be made as follows:

(1) in the Army, if that appointment would result in more than—

(A) 7 officers in the grade of general;

(B) 46 officers in a grade above the grade of major general; or

(C) 90 officers in the grade of major general;

(2) in the Air Force, if that appointment would result in more than—

(A) 9 officers in the grade of general;

(B) 44 officers in a grade above the grade of major general; or

(C) 73 officers in the grade of major general;

(3) in the Navy, if that appointment would result in more than—

(A) 6 officers in the grade of admiral;

(B) 33 officers in a grade above the grade of rear admiral; or

(C) 50 officers in the grade of rear admiral;

(4) in the Marine Corps, if that appointment would result in more than—

(A) 2 officers in the grade of general;

(B) 17 officers in a grade above the grade of major general; or

(C) 22 officers in the grade of major general.

(b) The limitations of subsection (a) do not include the following:

(1) An officer released from a joint duty assignment, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date the officer departs the joint duty assignment, except that the Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of a military department to extend the 60-day period by an additional 120 days, but no more than three officers from each armed forces may be on active duty who are excluded under this paragraph.

(2) The number of officers required to serve in joint duty assignments as authorized by the Secretary of Defense under section 526(b) for each military service.

(c)(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the President—

(A) may make appointments in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps in the grades of lieutenant general and general in excess of the applicable numbers determined under this section if each such appointment is made in conjunction with an offsetting reduction under paragraph (2); and

(B) may make appointments in the Navy in the grades of vice admiral and admiral in excess of the applicable numbers determined under this section if each such appointment is made in conjunction with an offsetting reduction under paragraph (2).

(2) For each appointment made under the authority of paragraph (1) in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps in the grade of lieutenant general or general or in the Navy in the grade of vice admiral or admiral, the number of appointments that may be made in the equivalent grade in one of the other armed forces (other than the Coast Guard) shall be reduced by one. When such an appointment is made, the President shall specify the armed force in which the reduction required by this paragraph is to be made.

(3)(A) The number of officers that may be serving on active duty in the grades of lieutenant general and vice admiral by reason of appointments made under the authority of paragraph (1) may not exceed 15.

(B) The number of officers that may be serving on active duty in the grades of general and admiral by reason of appointments made under the authority of paragraph (1) may not exceed 5.

(4) Upon the termination of the appointment of an officer in the grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral or general or admiral that was made in connection with an increase under paragraph (1) in the number of officers that may be serving on active duty in that armed force in that grade, the reduction made under paragraph (2) in the number of appointments permitted in such grade in another armed force by reason of that increase shall no longer be in effect.

(d) An officer continuing to hold the grade of general or admiral under section 601(b)(5) of this title after relief from the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or Commandant of the Marine Corps shall not be counted for purposes of this section.

(e) The following officers shall not be counted for purposes of this section:

(1) An officer of that armed force in the grade of brigadier general or above or, in the case of the Navy, in the grade of rear admiral (lower half) or above, who is on leave pending the retirement, separation, or release of that officer from active duty, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date of the commencement of such leave of such officer.

(2) At the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, an officer of that armed force who has been relieved from a position designated under section 601(a) of this title or by law to carry one of the grades specified in such section, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date on which the assignment of the officer to the first position is terminated or until the officer is assigned to a second such position, whichever occurs first.

(f) An officer while serving as Attending Physician to the Congress is in addition to the number that would otherwise be permitted for that officer's armed force for officers serving on active duty in grades above brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half) under subsection (a).

(g)(1) The limitations of this section do not apply to a reserve component general or flag officer who is on active duty for a period in excess of 365 days, but not to exceed three years, except that the number of officers from each reserve component who are covered by this subsection and are not serving in a position that is a joint duty assignment for purposes of chapter 38 of this title may not exceed 5 per component, unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense.

(2) Not later than 30 days after authorizing a number of reserve component general or flag officers in excess of the number specified in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall notify the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives of such authorization, and shall include with such notice a statement of the reason for such authorization.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 112–81, §502(a)(1), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) related to exclusions from limitations on appointment of general officers on active duty in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps and flag officers on active duty in the Navy.

Subsec. (b)(1)(D). Pub. L. 112–81, §511(a)(3)(A), struck out subpar. (D) which read as follows: "An officer while serving as Chief of the National Guard Bureau."

Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 111–383, §1075(b)(12)(B), substituted "and are not" for "and is not" and inserted period at end.

Subsec. (g)(2), (3). Pub. L. 112–81, §511(a)(3)(B), redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: "The exception in paragraph (1) does apply to the position of Chief of the National Guard Bureau."

2009—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(b), added subsecs. (a) and (b) and struck out former subsecs. (a) and (b) which related to limitations on appointments in a grade above brigadier general in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps or in a grade above rear admiral (lower half) in the Navy and limitations on appointments in a grade above major general in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps or in a grade above rear admiral in the Navy, respectively.

Subsec. (c)(1)(A). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(c)(1)(A), amended subpar. (A) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (A) read as follows: "may make appointments in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps in the grade of lieutenant general and in the Army and Air Force in the grade of general in excess of the applicable numbers determined under subsection (b)(1), and may make appointments in the Marine Corps in the grade of general in addition to the Commandant and Assistant Commandant, if each such appointment is made in conjunction with an offsetting reduction under paragraph (2); and".

Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(c)(2), substituted "15" for "the number equal to 10 percent of the total number of officers that may be serving on active duty in those grades in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps under subsection (b)".

Subsec. (c)(3)(B). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(c)(3), as amended by Pub. L. 111–383, §1075(d)(2), substituted "5" for "the number equal to 15 percent of the total number of general officers and flag officers that may be serving on active duty in those grades in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(d)(1), in introductory provisions, substituted "The following officers shall not be counted for purposes of this section:" for "In determining the total number of general officers or flag officers of an armed force on active duty for purposes of this section, the following officers shall not be counted:".

Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 110–181, §501(b), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: "An officer of that armed force who has been relieved from a position designated under section 601(a) of this title and is under orders to assume another such position, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date on which those orders are published."

2006—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–163 added subsec. (e).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–364 added subsec. (f).

2003—Subsec. (b)(5)(C). Pub. L. 108–136 struck out subpar. (C) which read as follows: "This paragraph shall cease to be effective at the end of December 31, 2004."

2000—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §507(g)(1)], in first sentence, substituted "Army or Air Force" for "Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps" and "15.7 percent" for "15 percent" and, in second sentence, substituted "Of" for "In the case of the Army and Air Force, of" and "15.7 percent" for "15 percent" and inserted "of the Army or Air Force" after "general officers".

1999—Subsec. (b)(5)(A). Pub. L. 106–65, §509(c), inserted at end "Any increase by reason of the preceding sentence in the number of officers of an armed force serving on active duty in grades above major general or rear admiral may only be realized by an increase in the number of lieutenant generals or vice admirals, as the case may be, serving on active duty, and any such increase may not be construed as authorizing an increase in the limitation on the total number of general or flag officers for that armed force under section 526(a) of this title or in the number of general and flag officers that may be designated under section 526(b) of this title."

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–86 effective Sept. 15, 1981, see section 405(f) of Pub. L. 97–86, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Implementation of 2000 Amendments

"(1) An appointment or reappointment, in the case of the incumbent in a reserve component chief position, shall be made to each of the reserve component chief positions not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000], in accordance with the amendments made by subsections (a) through (e) [amending sections 3038, 5143, 5144, 8038, and 10506 of this title].

"(2) An officer serving in a reserve component chief position on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000] may be reappointed to that position under the amendments made by subsection (a) through (e), if eligible and otherwise qualified in accordance with those amendments. If such an officer is so reappointed, the appointment may be made for the remainder of the officer's original term or for a full new term, as specified at the time of the appointment.

"(3) An officer serving on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000] in a reserve component chief position may continue to serve in that position in accordance with the provisions of law in effect immediately before the amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 3038, 5143, 5144, 8038, and 10506 of this title and repealing section 12505 of this title] until a successor is appointed under paragraph (1) (or that officer is reappointed under paragraph (1)).

"(4) The amendments made by subsection (g) [amending this section] shall be implemented so that each increase authorized by those amendments in the number of officers in the grades of lieutenant general and vice admiral is implemented on a case-by-case basis with an initial appointment made after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000], as specified in paragraph (1), to a reserve component chief position.

"(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term 'reserve component chief position' means a position specified in section 3038, 5143, 5144, or 8038 [now 7038, 8083, 8084, or 9038] of title 10, United States Code, or the position of Director, Army National Guard or Director, Air National Guard under section 10506(a)(1) of such title."

Savings Provision

Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title V, §511(b), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1088, provided that: "An officer of the Armed Forces on active duty holding an appointment in the grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral or general or admiral on September 30, 1987, shall not have that appointment terminated by reason of the numerical limitations determined under section 525(b) of title 10, United States Code. In the case of an officer of the Marine Corps serving in the grade of general by reason of an appointment authorized by section 511(3) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987 (Public Law 99–661; 100 Stat. 3869) [see below], that appointment shall not be terminated except as provided in section 601 of title 10, United States Code."

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Availability on the Internet of Certain Information About Officers Serving in General or Flag Officer Grades

"(1) In general.—The Secretary of each military department shall make available on an internet website of such department available to the public information specified in paragraph (2) on each officer in a general or flag officer grade under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, including any such officer on the reserve active-status list.

"(2) Information.—The information on an officer specified by this paragraph to be made available pursuant to paragraph (1) is the information as follows:

"(A) The officer's name.

"(B) The officer's current grade, duty position, command or organization, and location of assignment.

"(C) A summary list of the officer's past duty assignments while serving in a general or flag officer grade.

"(b) Additional Public Notice on Certain Officers.—Whenever an officer in a grade of O–7 or above is assigned to a new billet or reassigned from a current billet, the Secretary of the military department having jurisdiction of such officer shall make available on an internet website of such department available to the public a notice of such assignment or reassignment.

"(c) Limitation on Withholding of Certain Information or Notice.—

"(1) Limitation.—The Secretary of a military department may not withhold the information or notice specified in subsections (a) and (b) from public availability pursuant to subsection (a), unless and until the Secretary notifies the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives in writing of the information or notice that will be so withheld, together with justification for withholding the information or notice from public availability.

"(2) Limited duration of withholding.—The Secretary concerned may withhold from the public under paragraph (1) information or notice on an officer only on the basis of individual risk or national security, and may continue to withhold such information or notice only for so long as the basis for withholding remains in force."

Reduction in Number of General and Flag Officers on Active Duty and Authorized Strength After December 31, 2022, of Such General and Flag Officers

"(a) Reduction in Number of General and Flag Officers by December 31, 2022.—

"(1) Required reduction.—Except as otherwise provided by an Act enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2016] that expressly modifies the requirements of this paragraph, by not later than December 31, 2022, the Secretary of Defense shall reduce the number of general and flag officers on active duty by 110 from the aggregate authorized number of general and flag officers authorized by sections 525 and 526 of title 10, United States Code, as of December 31, 2015.

"(2) Distribution of authorized positions.—Effective as of December 31, 2022, and reflecting the reduction required by paragraph (1), authorized general and flag officer positions shall be distributed among the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and joint pool as follows:

"(A) The Army is authorized 220 positions in the general officer grades.

"(B) The Navy is authorized 151 positions in the flag officer grades.

"(C) The Air Force is authorized 187 positions in the general officer grades.

"(D) The Marine Corps is authorized 62 positions in the general officer grades.

"(E) The joint pool is authorized 232 positions in the general or flag officer grades, to be distributed as follows:

"(i) 82 positions in the general officer grades from the Army.

"(ii) 60 positions in the flag officer grades from the Navy.

"(iii) 69 positions in the general officer grades from the Air Force.

"(iv) 21 positions in the general officer grades from the Marine Corps.

"(3) Temporary additional joint pool allocation.—In addition to the positions authorized by paragraph (2), the 30 general and flag officer positions designated for overseas contingency operations are authorized as an additional maximum temporary allocation to the joint pool.

"(b) Plan to Achieve Required Reduction and Distribution.—

"(1) Plan required.—Utilizing the study conducted under subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense shall develop a plan to achieve, by the date specified in subsection (a)(1)—

"(A) the reduction required by such subsection in the number of general and flag officers; and

"(B) the distribution of authorized positions required by subsection (a)(2).

"(2) Submission of plan.—When the budget for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2019 is submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting forth the plan developed under this subsection.

"(3) Progress reports.—The Secretary of Defense shall include with the budget for the Department of Defense for each of fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022 a report describing and assessing the progress of the Secretary in implementing the plan developed under this subsection.

"(c) Study for Purposes of Plan.—

"(1) Study required.—For purposes of complying with subsection (a) and preparing the plan required by subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall conduct a comprehensive and deliberate global manpower study of requirements for general and flag officers with the goal of identifying—

"(A) the requirement justification for each general or flag officer position in terms of overall force structure, scope of responsibility, command and control requirements, and force readiness and execution;

"(B) an additional 10 percent reduction in the aggregate number of authorized general officer and flag officer positions after the reductions required by subsection (a); and

"(C) an appropriate redistribution of all general officer and flag officer positions within the reductions so identified.

"(2) Submission of study results.—Not later than April 1, 2017, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting forth the results of the study conducted under this subsection, including the justification for general and flag officer position to be retained and the reductions identified by general and flag officer position.

"(3) Interim report.—If practicable before the date specified in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives an interim report describing the progress made toward the completion of the study under this subsection, including—

"(A) the specific general and flag officer positions that have been evaluated;

"(B) the results of that evaluation; and

"(C) recommendations for achieving the additional 10 percent reduction in the aggregate number of authorized general officer and flag officer positions to be identified under paragraph (1)(C) and recommendations for redistribution of general and flag officer positions that have been developed to that point.

"(d) Exclusions.—

"(1) Related to joint duty assignments.—For purposes of complying with subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense may exclude—

"(A) a general or flag officer released from a joint duty assignment, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date the officer departs the joint duty assignment, except that the Secretary may authorize the Secretary of a military department to extend the 60-day period by an additional 120 days, but not more than three officers on active duty from each Armed Force may be covered by the additional extension at the same time; and

"(B) the number of officers required to serve in joint duty assignments for each Armed Force as authorized by the Secretary under section 526a(b) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (h) of this section.

"(2) Related to relief from chief of staff duty.—For purposes of complying with subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense may exclude an officer who continues to hold the grade of general or admiral under section 601(b)(5) of title 10, United States Code, after relief from the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or Commandant of the Marine Corps.

"(3) Related to retirement, separation, release, or relief.—For purposes of complying with subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense may exclude the following officers:

"(A) An officer of an Armed Force in the grade of brigadier general or above or, in the case of the Navy, in the grade of rear admiral (lower half) or above, who is on leave pending the retirement, separation, or release of that officer from active duty, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date of the commencement of such leave of such officer.

"(B) An officer of an Armed Force who has been relieved from a position designated under section 601(a) of title 10, United States Code, or by law to carry one of the grades specified in such section, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date on which the assignment of the officer to the first position is terminated or until the officer is assigned to a second such position, whichever occurs first.

"(e) Secretarial Authority to Grant Exceptions to Limitations.—

"(1) In general.—Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense may alter the reduction otherwise required by subsection (a)(1) in the number of general and flag officer or the distribution of authorized positions otherwise required by subsection (a)(2) in the interest of the national security of the United States.

"(2) Notice to congress of exceptions.—Not later than 30 days after authorizing a number of general or flag officers in excess of the number required as a result of the reduction required by subsection (a)(1) or altering the distribution of authorized positions under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives written notice of such exception, including a statement of the reason for such exception and the anticipated duration of the exception.

"(f) Orderly Transition for Officers Recently Assigned to Positions to Be Eliminated.—

"(1) Covered officers.—In order to provide an orderly transition for personnel in general or flag officer positions to be eliminated pursuant to the plan prepared under subsection (b), any general or flag officer who has not completed, as of December 31, 2022, at least 24 months in a position to be eliminated pursuant to the plan may remain in the position until the last day of the month that is 24 months after the month in which the officer assumed the duties of the position.

"(2) Report to congress on covered officers.—The Secretary of Defense shall include in the annual report required by section 526(j) of title 10, United States Code, in 2020 a description of the positions in which an officer will remain pursuant to paragraph (1), including the latest date on which the officer may remain in such position pursuant to that paragraph.

"(3) Notice to congress on detachment of covered officers.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a notice on the date on which each officer covered by paragraph (1) is detached from the officer's position pursuant to such paragraph.

"(g) Relation to Subsequent General or Flag Nominations.—

"(1) Notice to senate with nomination.—In order to help achieve the requirements of the plan required by subsection (b), effective 30 days after the commencement of the implementation of the plan, the Secretary of Defense shall include with each nomination of an officer to a grade above colonel or captain (in the case of the Navy) that is forwarded by the President to the Senate for appointment, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a certification to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate that the appointment of the officer to the grade concerned will not interfere with achieving the reduction required by subsection (a)(1) in the number of general and flag officer positions or the distribution of authorized positions required by subsection (a)(2).

"(2) Implementation.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the submission of the plan required by subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall revise applicable guidance of the Department of Defense on general and flag officer authorizations in order to ensure that—

"(A) the achievement of the reductions required pursuant to subsection (a) is incorporated into the planning for the execution of promotions by the military departments and for the joint pool;

"(B) to the extent practicable, the resulting grades for general and flag officer positions are uniformly applied to positions of similar duties and responsibilities across the military departments and the joint pool; and

"(C) planning achieves a reduction in the headquarters functions and administrative and support activities and staffs of the Department of Defense and the military departments commensurate with the achievement of the reductions required pursuant to subsection (a)."

Delayed Authority To Alter Distribution Requirements for Commissioned Officers on Active Duty in General Officer and Flag Officer Grades and Limitations on Authorized Strengths of General and Flag Officers on Active Duty

Review of Active Duty and Reserve General and Flag Officer Authorizations

"(1) The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report containing any recommendations of the Secretary (together with the rationale of the Secretary for the recommendations) concerning the following:

"(A) Revision of the limitations on general and flag officer grade authorizations and distribution in grade prescribed by sections 525, 526, and 12004 of title 10, United States Code.

"(B) Statutory designation of the positions and grades of any additional general and flag officers in the commands specified in chapter 1006 of title 10, United States Code, and the reserve component offices specified in sections 3038, 5143, 5144, and 8038 [now 7038, 8083, 8084, and 9038] of such title.

"(2) The provisions of subsection (b) through (e) of section 1213 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (Public Law 104–201; 110 Stat. 2694) shall apply to the report under paragraph (1) in the same manner as they applied to the report required by subsection (a) of that section."

Temporary Exclusion of Superintendent of Naval Academy From Counting Toward Number of Senior Admirals Authorized To Be on Active Duty

Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title IV, §406, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2746, provided that: "The officer serving as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 5, 1994], while so serving, shall not be counted for purposes of the limitations contained in [former] section 525(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code."

Temporary Increase in Number of General and Flag Officers Authorized To Be on Active Duty

Temporary increases in the number of officers authorized in particular grades under this section were contained in the following authorization acts:

§526. Authorized strength: general and flag officers on active duty

(a) Limitations.—The number of general officers on active duty in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the number of flag officers on active duty in the Navy, may not exceed the number specified for the armed force concerned as follows:

(1) For the Army, 231.

(2) For the Navy, 162.

(3) For the Air Force, 198.

(4) For the Marine Corps, 62.

(b) Limited Exclusion for Joint Duty Requirements.—(1) The Secretary of Defense may designate up to 310 general officer and flag officer positions that are joint duty assignments for purposes of chapter 38 of this title for exclusion from the limitations in subsection (a). The Secretary of Defense shall allocate those exclusions to the armed forces based on the number of general or flag officers required from each armed force for assignment to these designated positions.

(2) Unless the Secretary of Defense determines that a lower number is in the best interest of the Department, the minimum number of officers serving in positions designated under paragraph (1) for each armed force shall be as follows:

(A) For the Army, 85.

(B) For the Navy, 61.

(C) For the Air Force, 73.

(D) For the Marine Corps, 21.

(3) The number excluded under paragraph (1) and serving in positions designated under that paragraph—

(A) in the grade of general or admiral may not exceed 20;

(B) in a grade above the grade of major general or rear admiral may not exceed 68; and

(C) in the grade of major general or rear admiral may not exceed 144.

(4) Not later than 30 days after determining to raise or lower a number specified in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense shall notify the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives of such determination.

(5)(A) The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may designate up to 15 general and flag officer positions in the unified and specified combatant commands, and up to three general and flag officer positions on the Joint Staff, as positions to be held only by reserve component officers who are in a general or flag officer grade below lieutenant general or vice admiral. Each position so designated shall be considered to be a joint duty assignment position for purposes of chapter 38 of this title.

(B) A reserve component officer serving in a position designated under subparagraph (A) while on active duty under a call or order to active duty that does not specify a period of 180 days or less shall not be counted for the purposes of the limitations under subsection (a) and under section 525 of this title if the officer was selected for service in that position in accordance with the procedures specified in subparagraph (C).

(C) Whenever a vacancy occurs, or is anticipated to occur, in a position designated under subparagraph (A)—

(i) the Secretary of Defense shall require the Secretary of the Army to submit the name of at least one Army reserve component officer, the Secretary of the Navy to submit the name of at least one Navy Reserve officer and the name of at least one Marine Corps Reserve officer, and the Secretary of the Air Force to submit the name of at least one Air Force reserve component officer for consideration by the Secretary for assignment to that position; and

(ii) the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may submit to the Secretary of Defense the name of one or more officers (in addition to the officers whose names are submitted pursuant to clause (i)) for consideration by the Secretary for assignment to that position.

(D) Whenever the Secretaries of the military departments are required to submit the names of officers under subparagraph (C)(i), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall submit to the Secretary of Defense the Chairman's evaluation of the performance of each officer whose name is submitted under that subparagraph (and of any officer whose name the Chairman submits to the Secretary under subparagraph (C)(ii) for consideration for the same vacancy).

(E) Subparagraph (B) does not apply in the case of an officer serving in a position designated under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary of Defense, when considering officers for assignment to fill the vacancy in that position which was filled by that officer, did not have a recommendation for that assignment from each Secretary of a military department who (pursuant to subparagraph (C)) was required to make such a recommendation.

(c) Exclusion of Certain Reserve Officers.—(1) The limitations of this section do not apply to a reserve component general or flag officer who is on active duty for training or who is on active duty under a call or order specifying a period of less than 180 days.

(2) The limitations of this section also do not apply to a number, as specified by the Secretary of the military department concerned, of reserve component general or flag officers authorized to serve on active duty for a period of not more than 365 days. The number so specified for an armed force may not exceed the number equal to 10 percent of the authorized number of general or flag officers, as the case may be, of that armed force under section 12004 of this title. In determining such number, any fraction shall be rounded down to the next whole number, except that such number shall be at least one.

(3) The limitations of this section do not apply to a reserve component general or flag officer who is on active duty for a period in excess of 365 days but not to exceed three years, except that the number of such officers from each reserve component who are covered by this paragraph and not serving in a position that is a joint duty assignment for purposes of chapter 38 of this title may not exceed 5 per component, unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense.

(d) Exclusion of Certain Officers Pending Separation or Retirement or Between Senior Positions.—The limitations of this section do not apply to a general or flag officer who is covered by an exclusion under section 525(e) of this title.

(e) Exclusion of Attending Physician to the Congress.—The limitations of this section do not apply to the general or flag officer who is serving as Attending Physician to the Congress.

(f) Temporary Exclusion for Assignment to Certain Temporary Billets.—(1) The limitations in subsection (a) and in section 525(a) of this title do not apply to a general or flag officer assigned to a temporary joint duty assignment designated by the Secretary of Defense.

(2) A general or flag officer assigned to a temporary joint duty assignment as described in paragraph (1) may not be excluded under this subsection from the limitations in subsection (a) for a period of longer than one year.

(g) Exclusion of Officers Departing From Joint Duty Assignments.—The limitations in subsection (a) do not apply to an officer released from a joint duty assignment, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date the officer departs the joint duty assignment. The Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of a military department to extend the 60-day period by an additional 120 days, except that not more than three officers on active duty from each armed force may be covered by an extension under this sentence at the same time.

(h) Active-duty Baseline.—

(1) Notice and wait requirement.—If the Secretary of a military department proposes an action that would increase above the baseline the number of general officers or flag officers of an armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary who would be on active duty and would count against the statutory limit applicable to that armed force under subsection (a), the action shall not take effect until after the end of the 60-calendar day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary provides notice of the proposed action, including the rationale for the action, to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

(2) Baseline defined.—For purposes of paragraph (1), the term "baseline" for an armed force means the lower of—

(A) the statutory limit of general officers or flag officers of that armed force under subsection (a); or

(B) the actual number of general officers or flag officers of that armed force who, as of January 1, 2014, counted toward the statutory limit of general officers or flag officers of that armed force under subsection (a).

(3) Limitation.—If, at any time, the actual number of general officers or flag officers of an armed force who count toward the statutory limit of general officers or flag officers of that armed force under subsection (a) exceeds such statutory limit, then no increase described in paragraph (1) for that armed force may occur until the general officer or flag officer total for that armed force is reduced below such statutory limit.

(i) Joint Duty Assignment Baseline.—

(1) Notice and wait requirement.—If the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff proposes an action that would increase above the baseline the number of general officers and flag officers of the armed forces in joint duty assignments who count against the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1), the action shall not take effect until after the end of the 60-calendar day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary or Chairman, as the case may be, provides notice of the proposed action, including the rationale for the action, to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

(A) the statutory limit on general officer and flag officer positions that are joint duty assignments under subsection (b)(1); or

(B) the actual number of general officers and flag officers who, as of January 1, 2014, were in joint duty assignments counted toward the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1).

(3) Limitation.—If, at any time, the actual number of general officers and flag officers in joint duty assignments counted toward the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1) exceeds such statutory limit, then no increase described in paragraph (1) may occur until the number of general officers and flag officers in joint duty assignments is reduced below such statutory limit.

(j) Annual Report on General Officer and Flag Officer Numbers.—Not later than March 1, 2015, and each March 1 thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report specifying—

(1) the numbers of general officers and flag officers who, as of January 1 of the calendar year in which the report is submitted, counted toward the service-specific limits of subsection (a); and

(2) the number of general officers and flag officers in joint duty assignments who, as of such January 1, counted toward the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1).

(k) Cessation of Applicability.—The provisions of this section shall not apply to the number of general officers and flag officers in the armed forces after December 31, 2022. For provisions applicable to the number of such officers after that date, see section 526a of this title.

Present law (section 811(a) of Public Law 95–79, as amended) provides that the authority to suspend the limitation on the number of general and flag officers who may be serving on active duty applies during war or national emergency. In codifying the limitation (in section 526 of title 10 as proposed to be added by section 1(b) of the bill), the committee determined that the same war and emergency waiver authority as applies to other limitations on the number of officers on active duty under the existing 10 U.S.C. 526 (redesignated as 10 U.S.C. 527 by the bill) should apply with respect to this limitation and accordingly amended the suspension authority in present law to include the codified general and flag officer limitation. This authority is slightly different from the waiver authority in the source law in that the suspension would expire 2 years after it takes effect or 1 year after the end of the war or national emergency, whichever occurs first, rather than upon termination of the war or emergency.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 112—81, §502(b)(1)(A)(ii), which directed substitution of "161" for "160", could not be executed because of the intervening amendment by Pub. L. 112—239. See 2013 Amendment note above.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 111–84, §502(f)(1), substituted "Secretary of Defense" for "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff", "324" for "65", and "The Secretary of Defense shall allocate those exclusions to the armed forces based on the number of general or flag officers required from each armed force for assignment to these designated positions." for "Officers in positions so designated shall not be counted for the purposes of those limitations."

"(1) Not later than 60 days before an action specified in paragraph (2) may become effective, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report providing notice of the intended action and an analytically based justification for the intended action.

"(2) Paragraph (1) applies in the case of the following actions:

"(A) A change in the grade authorized as of July 1, 1994, for a general officer position in the National Guard Bureau, a general or flag officer position in the Office of a Chief of a reserve component, or a general or flag officer position in the headquarters of a reserve component command.

"(B) Assignment of a reserve component officer to a general officer position in the National Guard Bureau, to a general or flag officer position in the Office of a Chief of a reserve component, or to a general or flag officer position in the headquarters of a reserve component command in a grade other than the grade authorized for that position as of July 1, 1994.

"(C) Assignment of an officer other than a general or flag officer as the military executive to the Reserve Forces Policy Board."

1996—Subsec. (a)(1) to (3). Pub. L. 104–106, §1503(a)(3)(A), added pars. (1) to (3) and struck out former pars. (1) to (3) which read as follows:

"(1) For the Army, 386 before October 1, 1995, and 302 on and after that date.

"(2) For the Navy, 250 before October 1, 1995, and 216 on and after that date.

"(3) For the Air Force, 326 before October 1, 1995, and 279 on and after that date."

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 104–201 substituted "80" for "68".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–106, §1503(a)(3)(B)–(D), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b), struck out "that are applicable on and after October 1, 1995" after "limitations in subsection (a)", and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: "Transfers Between Services.—During the period before October 1, 1995, the Secretary of Defense may increase the number of general officers on active duty in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or the number of flag officers on active duty in the Navy, above the applicable number specified in subsection (a) by a total of not more than five. Whenever any such increase is made, the Secretary shall make a corresponding reduction in the number of such officers that may serve on active duty in general or flag officer grades in one of the other armed forces."

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 104–106, §1502(a)(1), substituted "Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives" for "Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives".

1994—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 103–337, §404, struck out "before October 1, 1995, and 61 on and after that date" after "Corps, 68".

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 103–337, §512, added subsecs. (d) and (e).

1992—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–484, §403(b), inserted heading.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–484, §403(a), added subsec. (c).

1990—Pub. L. 101–510 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "The total number of general officers on active duty in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps and flag officers on active duty in the Navy may not exceed 1,073."

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Termination of Reporting Requirements

For termination, effective Dec. 31, 2021, of provisions in subsec. (j) of this section requiring submittal of annual report to Congress, see section 1061 of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.

Acquisition and Contracting Billets

"(1) Reservation of army increase.—The increase in the number of general officers on active duty in the Army, as authorized by the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] is reserved for general officers in the Army who serve in an acquisition position.

"(2) Reservation of portion of increase in joint duty assignments excluded from limitation.—Of the increase in the number of general officer and flag officer joint duty assignments that may be designated for exclusion from the limitations on the number of general officers and flag officers on active duty, as authorized by the amendment made by subsection (c) [amending this section], five of the designated assignments are reserved for general officers or flag officers who serve in an acquisition position, including one assignment in the Defense Contract Management Agency."

§526a. Authorized strength after December 31, 2022: general officers and flag officers on active duty

(a) Limitations.—The number of general officers on active duty in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the number of flag officers on active duty in the Navy, after December 31, 2022, may not exceed the number specified for the armed force concerned as follows:

(1) For the Army, 220.

(2) For the Navy, 151.

(3) For the Air Force, 187.

(4) For the Marine Corps, 62.

(b) Limited Exclusion for Joint Duty Requirements.—

(1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense may designate up to 232 general officer and flag officer positions that are joint duty assignments for purposes of chapter 38 of this title for exclusion from the limitations in subsection (a).

(2) Minimum number.—Unless the Secretary of Defense determines that a lower number is in the best interest of the Department of Defense, the minimum number of officers serving in positions designated under paragraph (1) for each armed force shall be as follows:

(A) For the Army, 75.

(B) For the Navy, 53.

(C) For the Air Force, 68.

(D) For the Marine Corps, 17.

(c) Exclusion of Certain Officers Pending Separation or Retirement or Between Senior Positions.—The limitations of this section do not apply to—

(1) an officer of an armed force in the grade of brigadier general or above or, in the case of the Navy, in the grade of rear admiral (lower half) or above, who is on leave pending the retirement, separation, or release of that officer from active duty, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date of the commencement of such leave of such officer; or

(2) an officer of an armed force who has been relieved from a position designated under section 601(a) of this title or by law to carry one of the grades specified in such section, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date on which the assignment of the officer to the first position is terminated or until the officer is assigned to a second such position, whichever occurs first.

(d) Temporary Exclusion for Assignment to Certain Temporary Billets.—

(1) In general.—The limitations in subsection (a) do not apply to a general officer or flag officer assigned to a temporary joint duty assignment designated by the Secretary of Defense.

(2) Duration of exclusion.—A general officer or flag officer assigned to a temporary joint duty assignment as described in paragraph (1) may not be excluded under this subsection from the limitations in subsection (a) for a period of longer than one year.

(e) Exclusion of Officers Departing From Joint Duty Assignments.—The limitations in subsection (a) do not apply to an officer released from a joint duty assignment, but only during the 60-day period beginning on the date the officer departs the joint duty assignment. The Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of a military department to extend the 60-day period by an additional 120 days, except that not more than three officers on active duty from each armed force may be covered by the additional extension at the same time.

(f) Active-Duty Baseline.—

(1) Notice and wait requirements.—If the Secretary of a military department proposes an action that would increase above the baseline the number of general officers or flag officers of an armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary who would be on active duty and would count against the statutory limit applicable to that armed force under subsection (a), the action shall not take effect until after the end of the 60-calendar day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary provides notice of the proposed action, including the rationale for the action, to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(2) Baseline defined.—In paragraph (1), the term "baseline" for an armed force means the lower of—

(A) the statutory limit of general officers or flag officers of that armed force under subsection (a); or

(B) the actual number of general officers or flag officers of that armed force who, as of January 1, 2023, counted toward the statutory limit of general officers or flag officers of that armed force under subsection (a).

(g) Joint Duty Assignment Baseline.—

(1) Notice and wait requirement.—If the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff proposes an action that would increase above the baseline the number of general officers and flag officers of the armed forces in joint duty assignments who count against the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1), the action shall not take effect until after the end of the 60-calendar day period beginning on the date on which such Secretary or the Chairman, as the case may be, provides notice of the proposed action, including the rationale for the action, to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(A) the statutory limit on general officer and flag officer positions that are joint duty assignments under subsection (b)(1); or

(B) the actual number of general officers and flag officers who, as of January 1, 2023, were in joint duty assignments counted toward the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1).

(h) Annual Report.—Not later than March 1 each year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report specifying the following:

(1) The numbers of general officers and flag officers who, as of January 1 of the calendar year in which the report is submitted, counted toward the service-specific limits of subsection (a).

(2) The number of general officers and flag officers in joint duty assignments who, as of such January 1, counted toward the statutory limit under subsection (b)(1).

§527. Authority to suspend sections 523, 525, and 526

In time of war, or of national emergency declared by Congress or the President after November 30, 1980, the President may suspend the operation of any provision of section 523, 525, or 526 of this title. So long as such war or national emergency continues, any such suspension may be extended by the President. Any such suspension shall, if not sooner ended, end on the last day of the two-year period beginning on the date on which the suspension (or the last extension thereof) takes effect or on the last day of the one-year period beginning on the date of the termination of the war or national emergency, whichever occurs first. With respect to the end of any such suspension, the preceding sentence supersedes the provisions of title II of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1621–1622) which provide that powers or authorities exercised by reason of a national emergency shall cease to be exercised after the date of the termination of the emergency.

References in Text

The National Emergencies Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 94–412, Sept. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1255, as amended. Title II of the National Emergencies Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§1621 et seq.) of chapter 34 of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of Title 50 and Tables.

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–337 struck out "524," after "523," in section catchline and in text.

1988—Pub. L. 100–370 renumbered section 526 of this title as this section, substituted "524, 525, and 526" for "524, and 525" in section catchline, and "524, 525, or 526" for "524, or 525" in text.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 effective Dec. 1, 1994, except as otherwise provided, see section 1691 of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as an Effective Date note under section 10001 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Delegation of Functions

Functions of President under this section to suspend operation of sections 523, 524 [now 12011], and 525 of this title, relating to authorized strength of commissioned officers, delegated to Secretary of Defense to perform during a time of war or national emergency, without approval, ratification, or other action by President, and with authority for Secretary to redelegate, provided that, during a national emergency declared by President, the exercise of any such authority be specifically directed by President in accordance with section 1631 of Title 50, War and National Defense, and that Secretary ensure that actions taken pursuant to any authority so delegated be accounted for as required by section 1641 of Title 50, see Ex. Ord. No. 12396, §§2, 3, Dec. 9, 1982, 47 F.R. 55897, 55898, set out as a note under section 301 of Title 3, The President.

Delegation of Authority

Authority of President under this section as invoked by sections 2 and 3 of Ex. Ord. No. 13223, Sept. 14, 2001, 66 F.R. 48201, as amended, delegated to Secretary of Defense by section 4 of Ex. Ord. No. 13223, set out as a note under section 12302 of this title.

Authority To Waive Grade Strength Laws For Fiscal Year 1991; Certification; Relationship to Other Suspension Authority

Pub. L. 102–25, title II, §§201(b), 202, 205(b), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 79, 80, authorized Secretary of a military department to suspend, for fiscal year 1991, the operation of any provision of section 517, 523, 524, 525, or 526 of this title with respect to that military department, that such Secretary may exercise such authority only after submission to the congressional defense committees of a certification in writing that such authority is necessary because of personnel actions associated with Operation Desert Storm, and that such authority is in addition to the authority provided in this section.

(a) Military Status.—An officer of the armed forces, while serving in a position covered by this section—

(1) shall not be subject to supervision or control by the Secretary of Defense or any other officer or employee of the Department of Defense, except as directed by the Secretary of Defense concerning reassignment from such position; and

(2) may not exercise, by reason of the officer's status as an officer, any supervision or control with respect to any of the military or civilian personnel of the Department of Defense except as otherwise authorized by law.

(b) Director and Deputy Director of CIA.—When the position of Director or Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is held by an officer of the armed forces, the position, so long as the officer serves in the position, shall be designated, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 526 of this title, as one of the general officer and flag officer positions to be excluded from the limitations in subsection (a) of such section.

(c) Associate Director of Military Affairs, CIA.—When the position of Associate Director of Military Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency, or any successor position, is held by an officer of the armed forces, the position, so long as the officer serves in the position, shall be designated, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 526 of this title, as one of the general officer and flag officer positions to be excluded from the limitations in subsection (a) of such section.

(d) Officers Serving in Office of DNI.—When a position in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence designated by agreement between the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence is held by a general officer or flag officer of the armed forces, the position, so long as the officer serves in the position, shall be designated, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 526 of this title, as one of the general officer and flag officer positions to be excluded from the limitations in subsection (a) of such section. However, not more than five of such positions may be included among the excluded positions at any time.

(e) Effect of Appointment.—Except as provided in subsection (a), the appointment or assignment of an officer of the armed forces to a position covered by this section shall not affect—

(1) the status, position, rank, or grade of such officer in the armed forces; or

(2) any emolument, perquisite, right, privilege, or benefit incident to or arising out of such status, position, rank, or grade.

(f) Military Pay and Allowances.—(1) An officer of the armed forces on active duty who is appointed or assigned to a position covered by this section shall, while serving in such position and while remaining on active duty, continue to receive military pay and allowances and shall not receive the pay prescribed for such position.

(2) Funds from which pay and allowances under paragraph (1) are paid to an officer while so serving shall be reimbursed as follows:

(A) For an officer serving in a position within the Central Intelligence Agency, such reimbursement shall be made from funds available to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

(B) For an officer serving in a position within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, such reimbursement shall be made from funds available to the Director of National Intelligence.

(g) Covered Positions.—The positions covered by this section are the positions specified in subsections (b) and (c) and the positions designated under subsection (d).

Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 112–81, §502(d)(1), added subsecs. (b) to (d) and struck out former subsecs. (b) to (d) which related to Director and Deputy Director of CIA, Associate Director of Military Affairs of CIA, and Officers Serving in the Office of DNI, respectively.

2010—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–259 substituted "Associate Director of Military Affairs, CIA" for "Associate Director of CIA for Military Affairs" in heading and "Associate Director of Military Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency, or any successor position" for "Associate Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Military Affairs" in text.

"(a) When none of the individuals serving in a position specified in subsection (b) is an officer of the armed forces, an officer of the armed forces assigned to the position of Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Military Support, while serving in that position, shall not be counted against the numbers and percentages of officers of the grade of that officer authorized for that officer's armed force.

"(b) The positions referred to in subsection (a) are the following:

"(1) Director of Central Intelligence.

"(2) Deputy Director of Central Intelligence.

"(3) Deputy Director of Central Intelligence for Community Management."

"(a) Exclusion of Officer Serving in Certain CIA Positions.—When either of the individuals serving in a position specified in subsection (b) is an officer of the armed forces, one of those officers, while serving in that position, shall be excluded from the limitations in sections 525 and 526 of this title.

"(b) Covered Positions.—The positions referred to in this subsection are the following:

1980—Pub. L. 96–513, title I, §104(a), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2845, inserted an analysis of subchapters immediately following chapter heading, added subchapter I heading, and, in analysis of sections following subchapter I heading, added items 531, 532, and 533 preceding item 541, re-enacted item 541 without change, and struck out, following item 541, items 555 to 565. The items 555 to 565 formerly set out in the analysis of sections immediately following chapter heading were transferred to a position following a new heading for subchapter II preceding section 555.

§531. Original appointments of commissioned officers

(a)(1) Original appointments in the grades of second lieutenant, first lieutenant, and captain in the Regular Army, Regular Air Force, and Regular Marine Corps and in the grades of ensign, lieutenant (junior grade), and lieutenant in the Regular Navy shall be made by the President alone.

(2) Original appointments in the grades of major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel in the Regular Army, Regular Air Force, and Regular Marine Corps and in the grades of lieutenant commander, commander, and captain in the Regular Navy shall be made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(b) The grade of a person receiving an appointment under this section who at the time of appointment (1) is credited with service under section 533 of this title, and (2) is not a commissioned officer of a reserve component shall be determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense based upon the amount of service credited. The grade of a person receiving an appointment under this section who at the time of the appointment is a commissioned officer of a reserve component is determined under section 533(f) of this title.

(c) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the President, an original appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular Army, Regular Air Force, Regular Navy, or Regular Marine Corps may be made by the Secretary of Defense in the case of a reserve commissioned officer upon the transfer of such officer from the reserve active-status list of a reserve component of the armed forces to the active-duty list of an armed force, notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (a).

Amendments

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375, §501(a)(4), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: "Original appointments in the grades of second lieutenant through colonel in the Regular Army, Regular Air Force, and Regular Marine Corps and in the grades of ensign through captain in the Regular Navy shall be made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate."

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

"(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section [enacting section 647 of this title, amending this section and sections 532, 619, 641, 1174, 2114, 12201, 12203, and 12731 of this title, and repealing section 522 of this title] shall take effect on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 28, 2004].

"(2) The amendment made by subsection (a)(1) [amending section 532 of this title] shall take effect on May 1, 2005."

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this chapter effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Transition Provisions Under Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

For provisions to prevent extinction or premature termination of rights, duties, penalties, or proceedings that existed or were begun prior to the effective date of Pub. L. 96–513 and otherwise to allow for an orderly transition to the system of officer personnel management put in place under Pub. L. 96–513, see section 601 et seq. of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

Program To Increase Use of Certain Nurses by Military Departments

"(a) Program Required.—(1) Not later than September 30, 1991, the Secretary of each military department shall implement a program to appoint persons who have an associate degree or diploma in nursing (but have not received a baccalaureate degree in nursing) as officers and to assign such officers to duty as nurses.

"(2) An officer appointed pursuant to the program required by subsection (a) shall be appointed in a warrant officer grade or in a commissioned grade not higher than O–3. Such officer may not be promoted above the grade of O–3 unless the officer receives a baccalaureate degree in nursing.

"(b) Report on Implementation.—Not later than April 1, 1990, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the actions taken by the Secretaries of the military departments to implement the program required by this section."

Ex. Ord. No. 13384. Assignment of Functions Relating to Original Appointments as Commissioned Officers and Chief Warrant Officer Appointments in the Armed Forces

Ex. Ord. No. 13384, July 27, 2005, 70 F.R. 43739, provided:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Assignment of Functions to the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense shall perform the functions of the President under the following provisions of title 10, United States Code:

(a) subsection 531(a)(1); and

(b) the second sentence of subsection 571(b).

Sec. 2. Reassignment of Functions Assigned. The Secretary of Defense may not reassign the functions assigned to him by this order.

Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit or otherwise affect the authority of the President as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, or under the Constitution and laws of the United States to nominate or to make or terminate appointments.

(b) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees or agents, or any other person.

George W. Bush.

§532. Qualifications for original appointment as a commissioned officer

(a) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, an original appointment as a commissioned officer (other than as a commissioned warrant officer) in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps may be given only to a person who—

(1) is a citizen of the United States;

(2) is of good moral character;

(3) is physically qualified for active service; and

(4) has such other special qualifications as the Secretary of the military department concerned may prescribe by regulation.

(b)(1) Original appointments in the Regular Army in the Medical Corps or Dental Corps, and original appointments in the Regular Air Force with a view to designation of an officer as a medical or dental officer, may be made in the grades of first lieutenant through colonel. Original appointments in the Regular Navy in the Medical Corps or Dental Corps may be made in the grades of lieutenant (junior grade) through captain. Such appointments may be made only from persons who are qualified doctors of medicine, osteopathy, or dentistry.

(2) To be eligible for an original appointment as a medical officer, a doctor of osteopathy must—

(A) be a graduate of a college of osteopathy whose graduates are eligible to be licensed to practice medicine or surgery in a majority of the States;

(B) be licensed to practice medicine, surgery, or osteopathy in a State or in the District of Columbia;

(C) under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, have completed a number of years of osteopathic and preosteopathic education equal to the number of years of medical and premedical education prescribed for persons entering recognized schools of medicine who become doctors of medicine and who would be qualified for an original appointment in the grade for which that person is being considered for appointment; and

(D) have such other qualifications as the Secretary of the military department concerned prescribes after considering the recommendations, if any, of the Surgeon General of the armed force concerned.

(c) Original appointments in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps of officers designated for limited duty shall be made under section 8139 or 8146 of this title.

(f) The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) with respect to a person who has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, or for a United States national otherwise eligible for appointment as a cadet or midshipman under section 2107(a) of this title or as a cadet under section 2107a of this title, when the Secretary determines that the national security so requires, but only for an original appointment in a grade below the grade of major or lieutenant commander.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a)(2) to (5). Pub. L. 115–232, §501(a), redesignated pars. (3) to (5) as (2) to (4), respectively, and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: "is able to complete 20 years of active commissioned service before his sixty-second birthday;".

"(1) A person receiving an original appointment as a medical or dental officer, as a chaplain, or as an officer designated for limited duty in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps is not subject to clause (2) of subsection (a).

"(2) A commissioned officer appointed in a medical skill other than as a medical officer or dental officer (as defined in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense) is not subject to clause (2) of subsection (a)."

2006—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–163 inserted ", or for a United States national otherwise eligible for appointment as a cadet or midshipman under section 2107(a) of this title or as a cadet under section 2107a of this title," after "for permanent residence".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 108–375, §501(a)(1), struck out subsec. (e) which read as follows: "After September 30, 1996, no person may receive an original appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps until that person has completed one year of service on active duty as a commissioned officer (other than a warrant officer) of a reserve component."

1981—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–22 substituted "medical or dental officer, as a chaplain, or as an officer designated for limited duty in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps" for "medical officer or dental officer or as a chaplain".

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title V, §501(c), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1739, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 13, 2018], and shall apply with respect to original appointments of regular commissioned officers of the Armed Forces made on or after that date."

Amendment by section 809(a) of Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

Amendment by section 501(a)(1) of Pub. L. 108–375 effective on May 1, 2005, and amendment by section 501(a)(2), (3)(A) of Pub. L. 108–375 effective on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Oct. 28, 2004, see section 501(g) of Pub. L. 108–375, set out as a note under section 531 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Appointment of Citizens of Northern Mariana Islands as Commissioned Officers

Pub. L. 98–94, title X, §1006, Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 661, provided that a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands who indicates in writing to a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces of the United States an intent to become a citizen, and not a national, of the United States, and who is otherwise qualified for military service under applicable laws and regulations, may be appointed as an officer in the Armed Forces of the United States, may be appointed or enrolled in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program of any of the Armed Forces under chapter 103 of title 10, United States Code, and may be selected to be a participant in the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program under chapter 105 of such title, and that this section shall expire upon the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Commonwealth was established as of 12:01 a.m., Nov. 4, 1986, see section 2(a), (b) of Proc. No. 5564, set out as a note under section 1801 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

§533. Service credit upon original appointment as a commissioned officer

(a)(1) For the purpose of determining the grade and rank within grade of a person receiving an original appointment in a commissioned grade (other than a warrant officer grade) in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps, such person shall be credited at the time of such appointment with any active commissioned service (other than service as a commissioned warrant officer) that he performed in any armed force, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Public Health Service before such appointment.

(2) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations, which shall apply uniformly among the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, to authorize the Secretary of the military department concerned to limit the amount of prior active commissioned service with which a person receiving an original appointment may be credited under paragraph (1), or to deny any such credit, in the case of a person who at the time of such appointment is credited with constructive service under subsection (b).

(b)(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall credit a person who is receiving an original appointment in a commissioned grade (other than a commissioned warrant officer grade) in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps and who has advanced education or training or special experience with constructive service for such education, training, or experience as follows:

(A) One year for each year of advanced education beyond the baccalaureate degree level, for persons appointed, designated, or assigned in officer categories requiring such advanced education or an advanced degree as a prerequisite for such appointment, designation, or assignment. In determining the number of years of constructive service to be credited under this clause to officers in any professional field, the Secretary concerned shall credit an officer with, but with not more than, the number of years of advanced education required by a majority of institutions that award degrees in that professional field for completion of the advanced education or award of the advanced degree.

(B)(i) Credit for any period of advanced education in a health profession (other than medicine and dentistry) beyond the baccalaureate degree level which exceeds the basic education criteria for appointment, designation, or assignment, if such advanced education will be directly used by the armed force concerned.

(ii) Credit for experience in a health profession (other than medicine or dentistry), if such experience will be directly used by the armed force concerned.

(C) Additional credit of (i) not more than one year for internship or equivalent graduate medical, dental, or other formal professional training required by the armed forces, and (ii) not more than one year for each additional year of such graduate-level training or experience creditable toward certification in a specialty required by the armed forces.

(D) Additional credit for special training or experience in a particular officer career field as designated by the Secretary concerned, if such training or experience is directly related to the operational needs of the armed force concerned.

(E) Additional credit for experience as a physician or dentist, if appointed as a medical or dental officer in the Army or Navy or, in the case of the Air Force, with a view to designation as a medical or dental officer.

(2) The amount of constructive service credited an officer under this subsection may not exceed the amount required in order for the officer to be eligible for an original appointment in the grade of colonel in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps or captain in the Navy.

(3) Constructive service credited an officer under this subsection is in addition to any service credited that officer under subsection (a) and shall be credited at the time of the original appointment of the officer.

(c) Constructive service credited an officer under subsection (b) shall be used only for determining the officer's—

(1) initial grade as a regular officer;

(2) rank in grade; and

(3) service in grade for promotion eligibility.

(d)(1) Constructive service may not be credited under subsection (b) for education, training, or experience obtained while serving as a commissioned officer (other than a warrant officer) on active duty or in an active status. However, in the case of an officer who completes advanced education or receives an advanced degree while on active duty or in an active status and in less than the number of years normally required to complete such advanced education or receive such advanced degree, constructive service may, subject to regulations prescribed under subsection (a)(2), be credited to the officer under subsection (b)(1)(A) to the extent that the number of years normally required to complete such advanced education or receive such advanced degree exceeds the actual number of years in which such advanced education or degree is obtained by the officer.

(2) A graduate of the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, or the United States Air Force Academy is not entitled to service credit under this section for service performed, or education, training, or experience obtained, before graduation from such Academy.

(e) If the Secretary of Defense determines that the number of qualified judge advocates serving on active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps in grades below major or lieutenant commander is critically below the number needed by such armed force in such grades, he may authorize the Secretary of the military department concerned to credit any person receiving an original appointment in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the Army or Navy, or any person receiving an original appointment in the Air Force or Marine Corps with a view to designation as a judge advocate, with a period of constructive service in such an amount (in addition to any period of service credited such person under subsection (b)(1)) as will result in the grade of such person being that of captain or, in the case of an officer of the Navy, lieutenant and the date of rank of such person being junior to that of all other officers of the same grade serving on active duty.

(f) A reserve officer (other than a warrant officer) who receives an original appointment as an officer (other than as a warrant officer) in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps shall—

(1) in the case of an officer on the active-duty list immediately before that appointment as a regular officer, be appointed in the same grade and with the same date of rank as the grade and date of rank held by the officer on the active-duty list immediately before the appointment; and

(2) in the case of an officer not on the active-duty list immediately before that appointment as a regular officer, be appointed in the same grade and with the same date of rank as the grade and date of rank which the officer would have held had the officer been serving on the active-duty list on the date of the appointment as a regular officer.

Amendments

Subsec. (b)(1)(D). Pub. L. 115–232, §502(a)(1)(A), added subpar. (D) and struck out former subpar. (D) which read as follows: "Additional credit, in unusual cases, based on special experience in a particular field."

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–232, §502(a)(1)(B), substituted "The amount" for "Except as authorized by the Secretary concerned in individual cases and under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense in the case of a medical or dental officer, the amount" and "in the grade of colonel in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps or captain in the Navy" for "in the grade of major in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps or lieutenant commander in the Navy".

1993—Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 103–160, §509(a)(1), in second sentence, substituted "In determining" for "Except as provided in clause (E), in determining" and "advanced education required" for "postsecondary education in excess of four that are required".

Subsec. (b)(1)(E), (F). Pub. L. 103–160, §509(a)(2), (3), redesignated subpar. (F) as (E) and struck out former subpar. (E) which read as follows: "Additional credit of one year for advanced education in a health profession if the number of years of baccalaureate education completed by 75 percent or more of the students entering advanced training in that health profession exceeds, by one or more, the minimum number of years of preprofessional education required by a majority of institutions which award degrees in that health profession. The percentage of such persons shall be computed on an annual basis for each health profession from the data for the year in which the person being appointed, designated, or assigned was admitted to a professional school. However, a person may not receive additional credit under this clause if the amount of his baccalaureate education does not exceed, by one or more, the minimum number of years of preprofessional education required by a majority of institutions which award degrees for that health profession, determined on the basis prescribed in the preceding sentence."

1983—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 98–94 inserted ", the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Public Health Service".

1981—Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 97–22, §3(c)(1), inserted ", designated, or assigned" in first sentence after "persons appointed" and substituted "Except as provided in clause (E), in determining the number of years of constructive service to be credited under this clause to officers in any professional field, the Secretary concerned shall credit an officer with, but with not more than, the number of years of postsecondary education in excess of four that are required by a majority of institutions that award degrees in that professional field for completion of the advanced education or award of the advanced degree" for "(Except as provided in clause (E), in determining the years of constructive service under this clause, the Secretary concerned shall grant credit for only the number of years normally required to complete the advanced education or receive the advanced degree".

Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 97–22, §3(c)(2), substituted "appointment, designation, or assignment, if such advanced education" for "appointment as an officer, if such advanced education".

Subsec. (b)(1)(E). Pub. L. 97–22, §3(c)(3), substituted "person being appointed, designated, or assigned was admitted" for "person being appointed was admitted".

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 97–22, §3(c)(4), inserted provision that, in the case of an officer who completes advanced education or receives an advanced degree while on active duty or in an active status and in less than the number of years normally required to complete such advanced education or receive such advanced degree, constructive service may, subject to regulations prescribed under subsection (a)(2), be credited to the officer under subsection (b)(1)(A) to the extent that the number of years normally required to complete such advanced education or receive such advanced degree exceeds the actual number of years in which such advanced education or degree is obtained by the officer.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 97–22, §3(c)(5), substituted "A reserve officer (other than a warrant officer) who receives an original appointment as an officer (other than as a warrant officer) in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps shall (1) in the case of an officer on the active-duty list immediately before that appointment as a regular officer, be appointed in the same grade and with the same date of rank as the grade and date of rank held by the officer on the active-duty list immediately before the appointment; and (2) in the case of an officer not on the active-duty list immediately before that appointment as a regular officer, be appointed in the same grade and with the same date of rank as the grade and date of rank which the officer would have held had the officer been serving on the active-duty list on the date of the appointment as a regular officer" for "An officer of a reserve component who receives an original appointment as an officer (other than a warrant officer) in the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps shall be appointed in the grade and with the date of rank to which he would have been entitled had he been serving on active duty as an officer of a reserve component on the date of such original appointment as a regular officer".

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Ratification of Service Credit Awarded Prior to November 30, 1993

Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title V, §509(e), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1648, provided that: "To the extent that service credit awarded before the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 30, 1993] under section 533, 3353, 5600, or 8353 of title 10, United States Code, based on advanced education in medicine or dentistry was awarded consistent with that section as amended by this section (whether or not properly awarded under that section as in effect before such amendment), the awarding of that service credit is hereby ratified."

Transition Provision Under Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

For savings provision relating to constructive service previously granted, see section 625 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

§541. Graduates of the United States Military, Naval, and Air Force Academies

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each cadet at the United States Military Academy or the United States Air Force Academy, and each midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, is entitled, before graduating from that Academy, to state his preference for appointment, upon graduation, as a commissioned officer in either the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps.

(b) With the consent of the Secretary of the military department administering the Academy from which the cadet or midshipman is to be graduated, and of the Secretary of the military department having jurisdiction over the armed force for which that graduate stated his preference, the graduate is entitled to be accepted for appointment in that armed force. However, not more than 12½ percent of any graduating class at an Academy may be appointed in armed forces not under the jurisdiction of the military department administering that Academy.

(c) The Secretary of Defense shall, by regulation, provide for the equitable distribution of appointments in cases where more than 12½ percent of the graduating class of any Academy request appointment in armed forces not under the jurisdiction of the military department administering that Academy.

In subsection (b), the words "is entitled" are substituted for the word "shall".

In subsection (c), the words "and fair" are omitted as surplusage. 10:1092c–1(c), 10:1856(c), and 34:1057–1(c) are omitted as covered by section 51(a) of the bill.

Effective Date

Act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, §52(a), 70A Stat. 641, provided that: "Section 541 of title 10, United States Code, enacted by section 1 of this Act, takes effect (1) in the year in which the initial class graduates from the United States Air Force Academy, or (2) upon the rescission of the agreement under which graduates of the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy may volunteer for appointment in the Air Force, whichever is earlier."

Appointment of United States Military Academy Graduates in Air Force

Act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, §44, 70A Stat. 637, provided that a cadet who had graduated from the United States Military Academy could, upon graduation and before the effective date of section 541 of this title, be appointed a second lieutenant in the Regular Air Force, and set forth provisions relating to date of appointment, service credit, rank among graduates, and increase in authorized strength.

Section 556, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 20, related to credit for service of persons originally appointed in regular warrant officer grades under section 555 of this title. See section 572 of this title.

§571. Warrant officers: grades

(a) The regular warrant officer grades in the armed forces corresponding to the pay grades prescribed for warrant officers by section 201(b) of title 37 are as follows:

Warrant officer grade:

Chief warrant officer, W–5.

Chief warrant officer, W–4.

Chief warrant officer, W–3.

Chief warrant officer, W–2.

Warrant officer, W–1.

(b) Appointments in the grade of regular warrant officer, W–1, shall be made by warrant, except that with respect to an armed force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary concerned may provide by regulation that appointments in that grade in that armed force shall be made by commission. Appointments in regular chief warrant officer grades shall be made by commission by the President, and appointments (whether by warrant or commission) in the grade of regular warrant officer, W–1, shall be made by the President, except that appointments in that grade in the Coast Guard shall be made by the Secretary concerned.

(c) An appointment may not be made in any of the armed forces in the regular warrant officer grade of chief warrant officer, W–5, if the appointment would result in more than 5 percent of the warrant officers of that armed force on active duty being in the grade of chief warrant officer, W–5. In computing the limitation prescribed in the preceding sentence, there shall be excluded warrant officers described in section 582 of this title.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 555 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–190, §1112(a).

Amendments

2011—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–383 substituted ", except that with respect to an armed force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary concerned may provide by regulation that appointments in that grade in that armed force shall be made by commission" for "by the Secretary concerned" and inserted ", and appointments (whether by warrant or commission) in the grade of regular warrant officer, W–1, shall be made by the President, except that appointments in that grade in the Coast Guard shall be made by the Secretary concerned" after "commission by the President".

1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–484 inserted a period at end of each item in table.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, §541(h), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2767, provided that: "This section [enacting section 215 of Title 14, Coast Guard, amending this section, sections 573 to 576, 580, 580a, 581, and 583 of this title, and sections 41, 214, 286a, and 334 of Title 14, repealing sections 212 and 213 of Title 14, enacting provisions set out as notes under this section, and repealing a provision set out as a note under former section 555 of this title] and the amendments made by this section shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 5, 1994]."

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

Short Title

Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title XI, §1101, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1491, provided that: "This title [enacting this chapter and section 742 of this title, amending sections 521, 522, 597, 598 [now 12242], 603, 628, 644, 741, 1166, 1174, 1305, 1406, 5414, 5457, 5458, 5501 to 5503, 5596, 5600, 5665, 6389, and 6391 of this title, sections 286a and 334 of Title 14, Coast Guard, and sections 201, 301, 301c, 305a, and 406 of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services, repealing sections 555 to 565, 602, and 745 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section, sections 521 and 555 of this title, and section 1009 of Title 37] may be cited as the 'Warrant Officer Management Act'."

"(A) is serving in a temporary grade below chief warrant officer, W–5, that is higher than that warrant officer's permanent grade;

"(B) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a temporary grade below chief warrant officer, W–5; or

"(C) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a permanent grade higher than the grade in which that warrant officer is serving;

shall be considered to have been recommended by a board convened under section 573 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by subsection (b), for promotion to the permanent grade equivalent to the grade in which that warrant officer is serving or for which that warrant officer has been recommended for promotion, as the case may be.

"(2) An officer referred to in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) who is not promoted to the grade to which that warrant officer is considered under such subsection to have been recommended for promotion because that officer's name is removed from a list of officers who are considered under such paragraph to have been recommended for promotion shall be considered by a board convened under section 573 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by subsection (b), for promotion to the permanent grade equivalent to the temporary grade in which that warrant officer was serving on the effective date of this section as if that warrant officer were serving in the permanent grade.

"(3) The date of rank of an officer referred to in paragraph (1)(A) who is promoted to the grade in which that warrant officer is serving on the effective date of this section is the date of that officer's temporary appointment in that grade.

"(d) Transition for Certain Reserve Warrant Officers Serving in a Higher Temporary Grade Below Chief Warrant Officer, W–5.—(1)(A) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a reserve warrant officer of the Coast Guard who on the effective date of this section [see Effective Date of 1994 Amendment note above] is subject to placement on the warrant officer active-duty list and who—

"(i) is serving in a temporary grade below chief warrant officer, W–5, that is higher than that warrant officer's permanent grade; or

"(ii) is on a list of warrant officers recommended for promotion to a temporary grade below chief warrant officer, W–5, that is the same as or higher than that warrant officer's permanent grade;

shall be considered to have been recommended by a board convened under section 598 [now 12242] of title 10, United States Code, for promotion to the permanent grade equivalent to the grade in which the warrant officer is serving or for which that warrant officer has been recommended for promotion, as the case may be.

"(B) The date of rank of a warrant officer referred to in subparagraph (A)(i) who is promoted to the grade in which that warrant officer is considered under such subparagraph to have been recommended for promotion is the date of the temporary appointment of that warrant officer in that grade.

"(2) A reserve warrant officer of the Coast Guard who on the effective date of this section—

"(A) is subject to placement on the warrant officer active-duty list;

"(B) is serving on active duty in a temporary grade; and

"(C) holds a permanent grade higher than the temporary grade in which that warrant officer is serving;

shall while continuing on active duty retain such temporary grade and shall be considered for promotion to a grade equal to or lower than the permanent grade as if such temporary grade is a permanent grade. If such warrant officer is recommended for promotion, the appointment of that warrant officer to such grade shall be a temporary appointment."

"(a) Certain Officers To Be Considered as Recommended for Promotion.—A regular warrant officer of the Armed Forces (other than the Coast Guard) who on the effective date of this title [Feb. 1, 1992] is on active duty and—

"(1) is serving in a temporary grade below chief warrant officer, W–5, that is higher than his permanent grade;

"(2) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a temporary grade below chief warrant officer, W–5; or

"(3) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a permanent grade higher than the grade in which he is serving;

shall be considered to have been recommended by a board convened under section 573 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this title, for promotion to the permanent grade equivalent to the grade in which he is serving or for which he has been recommended for promotion, as the case may be.

"(b) Board Consideration for Officers Removed From Promotion List.—An officer referred to in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) who is not promoted to the grade to which he is considered under such subsection to have been recommended for promotion because his name is removed from a list of officers who are considered under such paragraph to have been recommended for promotion shall be considered by a board convened under section 573 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by this title, for promotion to the permanent grade equivalent to the temporary grade in which he was serving on the effective date of this title as if he were serving in his permanent grade.

"(c) Date of Rank.—The date of rank of an officer referred to in subsection (a)(1) who is promoted to the grade in which he is serving on the effective date of this title is the date of his temporary appointment in that grade.

"(a) Certain Officers To Be Considered as Recommended for Promotion.—(1) Except as provided in subsection (b), a reserve warrant officer of the Armed Forces (other than the Coast Guard) who on the effective date of this title [Feb. 1, 1992] is subject to placement on the warrant officer active-duty list and who—

"(A) is serving in a temporary grade below chief warrant officer, W–5, that is higher than his permanent grade; or

"(B) is on a list of warrant officers recommended for promotion to a temporary grade below chief warrant officer, W–5, that is the same as or higher than his permanent grade;

shall be considered to have been recommended by a board convened under section 598 [now 12242] of title 10, United States Code, for promotion to the permanent grade equivalent to the grade in which he is serving or for which he has been recommended for promotion, as the case may be.

"(2) The date of rank of a warrant officer referred to in paragraph (1)(A) who is promoted to the grade in which he is considered under such paragraph to have been recommended for promotion is the date of his temporary appointment in that grade.

"(b) Reserves on Active Duty.—A reserve warrant officer who on the effective date of this title—

"(1) is subject to placement on the warrant officer active-duty list;

"(2) is serving on active duty in a temporary grade; and

"(3) holds a permanent grade higher than the temporary grade in which he is serving,

shall while continuing on active duty retain such temporary grade and shall be considered for promotion to a grade equal to or lower than his permanent grade as if such temporary grade is a permanent grade. If such warrant officer is recommended for promotion, his appointment to such grade shall be a temporary appointment.

"A warrant officer of the Navy or Marine Corps who, on the effective date of this title [Feb. 1, 1992], is subject to placement on the warrant officer active-duty list and who—

"(1) was appointed as a temporary warrant officer under section 5596 [now 8146] of title 10, United States Code, and

"(2) has retained a permanent enlisted status,

shall, while continuing on active duty, retain such temporary status and grade. Such an officer shall be considered for promotion to a higher warrant officer grade under this title [see Short Title note above] as if that temporary grade is a permanent grade. If the officer is recommended for promotion, the officer's appointment to that grade shall be a temporary appointment.

"(a) Savings Provision.—Subject to subsection (b), a regular warrant officer of the Army who on the effective date of this title [Feb. 1, 1992]—

"(1) is a permanent regular chief warrant officer; or

"(2) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a regular chief warrant officer grade,

may be retained on active duty until he completes 30 years of active service or 24 years of active warrant officer service, whichever is later, that could be credited to him under section 511 of the Career Compensation Act of 1949 (70 Stat. 114) [act Oct. 12, 1949, formerly set out as a note under section 580 of this title] (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this part [Feb. 1, 1992]), and then be retired under the appropriate provision of title 10, United States Code, on the first day of the month after the month in which he completes that service.

"(b) Exceptions.—Subsection (a) does not apply to a regular warrant officer who—

"(1) is sooner retired or separated under another provision of law;

"(2) is promoted to the regular grade of chief warrant officer, W–5; or

"(3) is continued on active duty under section 580(e) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this title."

Delegation of Functions

Functions of President under second sentence of subsec. (b) of this section delegated to Secretary of Defense by section 1(b) of Ex. Ord. No. 13384, July 27, 2005, 70 F.R. 43739, set out as a note under section 531 of this title.

Establishment of Permanent Grade of Chief Warrant Officer, W–5

[For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.]

§572. Warrant officers: original appointment; service credit

For the purposes of promotion, persons originally appointed in regular or reserve warrant officer grades shall be credited with such service as the Secretary concerned may prescribe. However, such a person may not be credited with a period of service greater than the period of active service performed in the grade, or pay grade corresponding to the grade, in which so appointed, or in any higher grade or pay grade.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 556 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–190, §1112(a).

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§573. Convening of selection boards

(a)(1) Whenever the Secretary concerned determines that the needs of the service so require, he shall convene a selection board to recommend for promotion to the next higher warrant officer grade warrant officers on the warrant officer active-duty list who are in the grade of chief warrant officer, W–2, chief warrant officer, W–3, or chief warrant officer, W–4.

(2) Warrant officers serving on the warrant officer active-duty list in the grade of warrant officer, W–1, shall be promoted to the grade of chief warrant officer, W–2, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned. Such regulations shall require that an officer have served not less than 18 months on active duty in the grade of warrant officer, W–1, before promotion to the grade of warrant officer, W–2.

(b) A selection board shall consist of five or more officers who are on the active-duty list of the same armed force as the warrant officers under consideration by the board. At least five members of a selection board must be serving in a permanent grade above major or lieutenant commander. The Secretary concerned may appoint warrant officers, senior in grade to those under consideration, as additional members of the selection board. If warrant officers are appointed members of the selection board and if competitive categories have been established by the Secretary under section 574(b) of this title, at least one must be appointed from each warrant officer competitive category under consideration by the board, unless there is an insufficient number of warrant officers in the competitive category concerned who are senior in grade to those under consideration and qualified, as determined by the Secretary concerned, to be appointed as additional members of the board.

(c) The Secretary concerned may convene selection boards to recommend regular warrant officers for continuation on active duty under section 580 of this title and for retirement under section 581 of this title.

(d) When reserve warrant officers of one of the armed forces are to be considered by a selection board convened under subsection (a), the membership of the board shall, if practicable, include at least one reserve officer of that armed force, with the exact number of reserve officers to be determined by the Secretary concerned.

(e) No officer may serve on two consecutive boards under this section, if the second board considers any warrant officer who was considered by the first board.

(f) The Secretary concerned shall prescribe all other matters relating to the functions and duties of the boards, including the number of members constituting a quorum, and instructions concerning notice of convening of boards and communications with boards.

(a) The Secretary concerned shall maintain for each armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary a single list of all warrant officers (other than warrant officers described in section 582 of this title) who are on active duty.

(b) The Secretary concerned may establish competitive categories for promotion. Warrant officers in the same competitive category shall compete among themselves for promotion.

(c) Before convening a selection board under section 573 of this title, the Secretary concerned shall determine for each grade (or grade and competitive category) to be considered by the board the following:

(1) The maximum number of warrant officers to be recommended for promotion.

(2) A promotion zone for warrant officers on the warrant officer active-duty list.

(d) The position of a warrant officer on the warrant officer active-duty list shall be determined as follows:

(1) Warrant officers shall be carried in the order of seniority of the grade in which they are serving on active duty.

(2) Warrant officers serving in the same grade shall be carried in the order of their rank in that grade.

(3) A warrant officer on the warrant officer active-duty list who receives a temporary appointment or a temporary assignment in a grade other than a warrant officer grade or chief warrant officer grade shall retain his position on the warrant officer active-duty list while so serving.

(e) A chief warrant officer may not be considered for promotion to the next higher grade under this chapter until the officer has completed two years of service on active duty in the grade in which the officer is serving.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after Oct. 5, 1994, see section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 571 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§575. Recommendations for promotion by selection boards

(a) A selection board convened under section 573(a) of this title shall recommend for promotion to the next higher grade those warrant officers considered by the board whom the board, giving due consideration to the needs of the armed force concerned for warrant officers with particular skills, considers best qualified for promotion within each grade (or grade and competitive category) considered by the board.

(b)(1) In the case of a selection board to consider warrant officers for selection for promotion to the grade of chief warrant officer, W–3, chief warrant officer, W–4, or chief warrant officer, W–5, the Secretary concerned shall establish the number of warrant officers that the selection board may recommend from among warrant officers being considered from below the promotion zone within each grade (or grade and competitive category). The number of warrant officers recommended for promotion from below the promotion zone does not increase the maximum number of warrant officers which the board is authorized under section 574 of this title to recommend for promotion.

(2) The number of officers recommended for promotion from below the promotion zone may not exceed 10 percent of the total number recommended, except that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy, may authorize such percentage to be increased to not more than 15 percent. If the number determined under this subsection with respect to a promotion zone within a grade (or grade and competitive category) is less than one, the board may recommend one such officer for promotion from below the zone within that grade (or grade and competitive category).

(c) A selection board convened under section 573(a) of this title may not recommend a warrant officer for promotion unless—

(1) the officer receives the recommendation of a majority of the members of the board; and

(2) a majority of the members of the board find that the officer is fully qualified for promotion.

(d) Each time a selection board is convened under section 573(a) of this title to consider warrant officers in a competitive category for promotion to the next higher grade, each warrant officer in the promotion zone, and each warrant officer above the promotion zone, for the grade and competitive category under consideration (except for a warrant officer precluded from consideration under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned under section 577 of this title) shall be considered for promotion.

Amendments

1999—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 106–65 inserted at end "If the number determined under this subsection with respect to a promotion zone within a grade (or grade and competitive category) is less than one, the board may recommend one such officer for promotion from below the zone within that grade (or grade and competitive category)."

1994—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 103–337, §541(b)(3), inserted "and the Secretary of Transportation, when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy," after "Secretary of Defense".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103–337, §501(a), inserted "(except for a warrant officer precluded from consideration under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned under section 577 of this title)" after "under consideration".

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by section 541(b)(3) of Pub. L. 103–337 effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after Oct. 5, 1994, see section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 571 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§576. Information to be furnished to selection boards; selection procedures

(a) The Secretary concerned shall furnish to each selection board convened under section 573 of this title the following:

(1) The maximum number of warrant officers that may be recommended for promotion from those serving in any grade (or grade and competitive category) to be considered, as determined in accordance with section 574 of this title.

(2) The names and pertinent records of all officers in each grade (or grade and competitive category) to be considered.

(3) Such information or guidelines relating to the needs of the armed force concerned for warrant officers having particular skills, including guidelines or information relating to the need for either a minimum number or a maximum number of officers with particular skills within a grade or competitive category, as the Secretary concerned determines to be relevant in relation to the requirements of that armed force.

(b) From each promotion zone for a grade (or grade and competitive category), the selection board shall recommend for promotion to the next higher warrant officer grade those warrant officers whom it considers best qualified for promotion, but no more than the number specified by the Secretary concerned.

(c) The names of warrant officers selected for promotion under this section shall be arranged in the board's report in order of the seniority on the warrant officer active-duty list.

(d) Under such regulations as the Secretary concerned may prescribe, the selection board shall report the names of those warrant officers considered by it whose records establish, in its opinion, their unfitness or unsatisfactory performance. A regular warrant officer whose name is so reported shall be considered, under regulations provided by the Secretary concerned, for retirement or separation under section 1166 of this title.

(e) The report of the selection board shall be submitted to the Secretary concerned. The Secretary may approve or disapprove all or part of the report.

(f)(1) Upon receipt of the report of a selection board submitted to him under subsection (e), the Secretary concerned shall review the report to determine whether the board has acted contrary to law or regulation or to guidelines furnished the board under this section.

(2) If, on the basis of a review of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned determines that the board acted contrary to law or regulation or to guidelines furnished the board under this section, the Secretary shall return the report, together with a written explanation of the basis for such determination, to the board for further proceedings. Upon receipt of a report returned by the Secretary concerned under this paragraph, the selection board (or a subsequent selection board convened under section 573 of this title for the same grade and competitive category) shall conduct such proceedings as may be necessary in order to revise the report to be consistent with law, regulation, and such guidelines and shall resubmit the report, as revised, to the Secretary in accordance with subsection (e).

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 560 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–190, §1112(a).

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–337, §541(b)(4)(A), struck out "of the military department" after "The Secretary" in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–337, §541(b)(4)(B), struck out "of the military department" after "submitted to the Secretary".

Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 103–337, §501(b), struck out after first sentence "Following such review, unless the Secretary concerned makes a determination as described in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall submit the report as required by subsection (e)."

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by section 541(b)(4) of Pub. L. 103–337 effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after Oct. 5, 1994, see section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 571 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§577. Promotions: effect of failure of selection for

A warrant officer who has been considered for promotion by a selection board convened under section 573 of this title, but not selected, shall be considered for promotion by each subsequent selection board that considers officers in his grade (or grade and competitive category) until he is retired or separated or he is selected for promotion. However, the Secretary concerned may, by regulation, preclude from consideration by a selection board by which he would otherwise be eligible to be considered, a warrant officer who has an established separation date that is within 90 days after the date on which the board is convened.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 561 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–190, §1112(a).

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§578. Promotions: how made; effective date

(a) When the report of a selection board convened under this chapter is approved by the Secretary concerned, the Secretary shall place the names of the warrant officers approved for promotion on a single promotion list for each grade (or grade and competitive category), in the order of the seniority of such officers on the warrant officer active-duty list.

(b) Promotions of warrant officers on the warrant officer promotion list shall be made when, in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary concerned, additional warrant officers in that grade (or grade and competitive category), are needed.

(c) A regular warrant officer who is promoted is appointed in the regular grade to which promoted, and a reserve warrant officer who is promoted is appointed in the reserve grade to which promoted. The date of appointment in that grade and date of rank shall be prescribed by the Secretary concerned. A warrant officer is entitled to the pay and allowances for the grade to which appointed from the date specified in the appointment order.

(d) Promotions shall be made in the order in which the names of warrant officers appear on the promotion list and after warrant officers previously selected for promotion in the applicable grade (or grade and competitive category) have been promoted.

(e) A warrant officer who is appointed to a higher grade under this section is considered to have accepted such appointment on the date on which the appointment is made unless the officer expressly declines the appointment.

(f) A warrant officer who has served continuously as an officer since subscribing to the oath of office prescribed in section 3331 of title 5 is not required to take a new oath upon appointment to a higher grade under this section.

Amendments

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§579. Removal from a promotion list

(a) The name of a warrant officer recommended for promotion by a selection board convened under this chapter may be removed from the report of the selection board by the President.

(b) The Secretary concerned may remove the name of a warrant officer who is on a promotion list as a result of being recommended for promotion by a selection board convened under this chapter at any time before the promotion is effective.

(c) An officer whose name is removed from the list of officers recommended for promotion by a selection board continues to be eligible for consideration for promotion.

(d) If the next selection board that considers the warrant officer for promotion under this chapter selects the warrant officer for promotion and the warrant officer is promoted, the Secretary concerned may, upon his promotion, grant him the same effective date for pay and allowances and the same date of rank, and the same position on the warrant officer active-duty list as the warrant officer would have had if his name had not been so removed.

(e) If the next selection board does not select the warrant officer for promotion, or if his name is again removed under subsection (a) from the list of officers recommended for promotion by the selection board or under subsection (b) from the warrant officer promotion list, he shall be treated for all purposes as if he has twice failed of selection for promotion.

(a)(1) Unless retired or separated sooner under some other provision of law, a regular chief warrant officer who has twice failed of selection for promotion to the next higher regular warrant officer grade shall be retired under paragraph (2) or (3) or separated from active duty under paragraph (4).

(2) If a warrant officer described in paragraph (1) has more than 20 years of creditable active service on (A) the date on which the Secretary concerned approves the report of the board under section 576(e) of this title, or (B) the date on which his name was removed from the recommended list under section 579 of this title, whichever applies, the warrant officer shall be retired. The date of such retirement shall be not later than the first day of the seventh calendar month beginning after the applicable date under the preceding sentence, except as provided by section 8301 of title 5. A warrant officer retired under this paragraph shall receive retired pay computed under section 1401 of this title.

(3) If a warrant officer described in paragraph (1) has at least 18 but not more than 20 years of creditable active service on (A) the date on which the Secretary concerned approves the report of the board under section 576(e) of this title, or (B) the date on which his name was removed from the recommended list under section 579 of this title, whichever applies, the warrant officer shall be retired not later than the date determined under the next sentence unless he is selected for promotion to the next higher regular warrant officer grade before that date. The date of the retirement of a warrant officer under the preceding sentence shall be on a date specified by the Secretary concerned, but not later than the first day of the seventh calendar month beginning after the date upon which he completes 20 years of active service, except as provided by section 8301 of title 5. A warrant officer retired under this paragraph shall receive retired pay computed under section 1401 of this title.

(4)(A) If a warrant officer described in paragraph (1) has less than 18 years of creditable active service on (i) the date on which the Secretary concerned approves the report of the board under section 576(e) of this title, or (ii) the date on which his name was removed from the recommended list under section 579 of this title, whichever applies, the warrant officer shall be separated (except as provided in subparagraph (C)). The date of such separation shall be not later than the first day of the seventh calendar month beginning after the applicable date under the preceding sentence.

(B) A warrant officer separated under this paragraph shall receive separation pay computed under section 1174 of this title, or severance pay computed under section 286a 1 of title 14, as appropriate, except in a case in which—

(i) upon his request and in the discretion of the Secretary concerned, he is enlisted in the grade prescribed by the Secretary; or

(ii) he is serving on active duty in a grade above chief warrant officer, W–5, and he elects, with the consent of the Secretary concerned, to remain on active duty in that status.

(C) If on the date on which a warrant officer is to be separated under subparagraph (A) the warrant officer has at least 18 years of creditable active service, the warrant officer shall be retained on active duty until retired under paragraph (3) in the same manner as if the warrant officer had had at least 18 years of service on the applicable date under subparagraph (A) or (B) of that paragraph.

(5) A warrant officer who is subject to retirement or discharge under this subsection is not eligible for further consideration for promotion.

(6) In this subsection, the term "creditable active service" means active service that could be credited to a warrant officer under section 511 of the Career Compensation Act of 1949, as amended (70 Stat. 114).

(b) The Secretary concerned may defer, for not more than four months, the retirement or separation under this section of a warrant officer if, because of unavoidable circumstances, evaluation of his physical condition and determination of his entitlement to retirement or separation for physical disability require hospitalization or medical observation that cannot be completed before the date on which he would otherwise be required to retire or be separated under this section.

(c) The Secretary concerned may defer, until such date as he prescribes, the retirement under subsection (a) of a warrant officer who is serving on active duty in a grade above chief warrant officer, W–5, and who elects to continue to so serve.

(d) If a warrant officer who also holds a grade above chief warrant officer, W–5, is retired or separated under subsection (a), his commission in the higher grade shall be terminated on the date on which he is so retired or separated.

(e)(1) A regular warrant officer subject to discharge or retirement under this section may, subject to the needs of the service, be continued on active duty if—

(A) in the case of a warrant officer in the grade of chief warrant officer, W–2, or chief warrant officer, W–3, the warrant officer is selected for continuation on active duty by a selection board convened under section 573(c) of this title; and

(B) in the case of a warrant officer in the grade of chief warrant officer, W–4, the warrant officer is selected for continuation on active duty by the Secretary concerned under such procedures as the Secretary may prescribe.

(2)(A) A warrant officer who is selected for continuation on active duty under this subsection but declines to continue on active duty shall be discharged, retired, or retained on active duty, as appropriate, in accordance with this section.

(B) A warrant officer in the grade of chief warrant officer, W–4, who is retained on active duty pursuant to procedures prescribed under paragraph (1)(B) is eligible for further consideration for promotion while remaining on active duty.

(3) Each warrant officer who is continued on active duty under this subsection, not subsequently promoted or continued on active duty, and not on a list of warrant officers recommended for continuation or for promotion to the next higher regular grade shall, unless sooner retired or discharged under another provision of law—

(A) be discharged upon the expiration of his period of continued service; or

(B) if he is eligible for retirement under any provision of law, be retired under that law on the first day of the first month following the month in which he completes his period of continued service.

Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a warrant officer who would otherwise be discharged under such subparagraph and who is within two years of qualifying for retirement under section 1293 of this title shall, unless he is sooner retired or discharged under some other provision of law, be retained on active duty until he is qualified for retirement under that section and then be retired.

(4) The retirement or discharge of a warrant officer pursuant to this subsection shall be considered to be an involuntary retirement or discharge for purposes of any other provision of law.

(5) Continuation of a warrant officer on active duty under this subsection pursuant to the action of a selection board convened under section 573(c) of this title is subject to the approval of the Secretary concerned.

(6) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy, shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this subsection.

(f) A warrant officer subject to discharge or retirement under this section, but against whom any action has been commenced with a view to trying the officer by court-martial, may be continued on active duty, without prejudice to such action, until the completion of such action.

References in Text

Section 286a of title 14, referred to in subsec. (a)(4)(B), was redesignated section 2147 of title 14 by Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §112(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4216, and references to section 286a of title 14 deemed to refer to such redesignated section, see section 123(b)(1) of Pub. L. 115–282, set out as a References to Sections of Title 14 as Redesignated by Pub. L. 115–282 note preceding section 101 of Title 14, Coast Guard.

Section 511 of the Career Compensation Act of 1949, referred to in subsec. (a)(6), is section 511 of act Oct. 12, 1949, ch. 681, which was formerly set out as a note below.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 564 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–190, §1112(a).

Amendments

2011—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–383 added subsec. (f).

2006—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 109–364, §505(a), substituted "continued on active duty if—" and subpars. (A) and (B) for "continued on active duty if he is selected for continuation on active duty by a selection board convened under section 573(c) of this title."

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after Oct. 5, 1994, see section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 571 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

Retired and Retainer Pay of Members on Retired Lists or Receiving Retainer Pay

Act Oct. 12, 1949, ch. 681, title V, §511, 63 Stat. 829, as amended May 19, 1952, ch. 310, §4, 66 Stat. 80; Apr. 23, 1956, ch. 208, §1, 70 Stat. 114, set forth methods of computing retired pay, retirement pay, retainer pay, or equivalent pay on and after Oct. 1, 1949, for members of the uniformed services who had retired for reasons other than for physical disability before Oct. 1, 1949, members who had transferred to the Fleet Reserve or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve before such date, and certain members of the Army Nurse Corps or the Navy Nurse Corps who had retired before such date, and provided that the amount of such pay would not exceed 75 percentum of the monthly basic pay upon which the computation had been based.

§580a. Enhanced authority for selective early discharges

(a) The Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of a military department, during the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on October 1, 2019, to take the action set forth in subsection (b) with respect to regular warrant officers of an armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary.

(b) The Secretary of a military department may, with respect to regular warrant officers of an armed force, when authorized to do so under subsection (a), convene selection boards under section 573(c) of this title to consider for discharge regular warrant officers on the warrant officer active-duty list—

(1) who have served at least one year of active duty in the grade currently held;

(2) whose names are not on a list of warrant officers recommended for promotion; and

(3) who are not eligible to be retired under any provision of law and are not within two years of becoming so eligible.

(c)(1) In the case of an action under subsection (b), the Secretary of the military department concerned may submit to a selection board convened pursuant to that subsection—

(A) the names of all regular warrant officers described in that subsection in a particular grade and competitive category; or

(B) the names of all regular warrant officers described in that subsection in a particular grade and competitive category who also are in particular year groups or specialties, or both, within that competitive category.

(2) The Secretary concerned shall specify the total number of warrant officers to be recommended for discharge by a selection board convened pursuant to subsection (b). That number may not be more than 30 percent of the number of officers considered—

(A) in each grade in each competitive category; or

(B) in each grade, year group, or specialty (or combination thereof) in each competitive category.

(3) A warrant officer who is recommended for discharge by a selection board convened pursuant to subsection (b) and whose discharge is approved by the Secretary concerned shall be discharged on a date specified by the Secretary concerned.

(4) Selection of warrant officers for discharge under this subsection shall be based on the needs of the service.

(d) The discharge of any warrant officer pursuant to this section shall be considered involuntary for purposes of any other provision of law.

(e) This section applies to the Secretary of Homeland Security in the same manner and to the same extent as it applies to the Secretary of Defense. The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall take the action set forth in subsection (b) with respect to regular warrant officers of the Coast Guard.

Amendments

Subsec. (c)(3) to (5). Pub. L. 114–92, §501(2), redesignated pars. (4) and (5) as (3) and (4), respectively, and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: "The total number of regular warrant officers described in subsection (b) from any of the armed forces (or from any of the armed forces in a particular grade) who may be recommended during a fiscal year for discharge by a selection board convened pursuant to the authority of that subsection may not exceed 70 percent of the decrease, as compared to the preceding fiscal year, in the number of warrant officers of that armed force (or the number of warrant officers of that armed force in that grade) authorized to be serving on active duty as of the end of that fiscal year."

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–337, §1070(a)(3), substituted "November 30, 1993," for "the date of the enactment of this section".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–337, §541(g), added subsec. (e).

Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by section 541(g) of Pub. L. 103–337 effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after Oct. 5, 1994, see section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 571 of this title.

§581. Selective retirement

(a) A regular warrant officer who holds a warrant officer grade above warrant officer, W–1, and whose name is not on a list of warrant officers recommended for promotion and who is eligible to retire under any provision of law may be considered for retirement by a selection board convened under section 573(c) of this title. The Secretary concerned shall specify the maximum number of warrant officers that such a board may recommend for retirement.

(b) A warrant officer who is recommended for retirement under this section and whose retirement is approved by the Secretary concerned shall be retired, under any provision of law under which he is eligible to retire, on the date requested by him and approved by the Secretary concerned, which date shall be not later than the first day of the seventh calendar month beginning after the month in which the Secretary concerned approves the report of the board which recommended the officer for retirement.

(c) The retirement of a warrant officer pursuant to this section shall be considered to be an involuntary retirement for purposes of any other provision of law.

(d)(1) The Secretary concerned shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this section.

(2) Such regulations shall require that when the Secretary concerned submits a list of regular warrant officers to a selection board convened under section 573(c) of this title to consider regular warrant officers for selection for retirement under this section, the list shall include—

(A) the name of each warrant officer on the active-duty list in the same grade or same grade and competitive category whose position on the active-duty list is between that of the most junior regular warrant officer in that grade whose name is submitted to the board and that of the most senior regular warrant officer in that grade whose name is submitted to the board; or

(B) with respect to a group of warrant officers designated under subparagraph (A) who are in a particular grade and competitive category, only those warrant officers in that grade and competitive category who are also in a particular year group or specialty, or any combination thereof determined by the Secretary concerned.

(3) Such regulations shall establish procedures to exclude from consideration by the board any warrant officer who has been approved for voluntary retirement, or who is to be mandatorily retired under any other provision of law, during the fiscal year in which the board is convened or during the following fiscal year. An officer not considered by a selection board convened under section 573(c) of this title under such regulations because the officer has been approved for voluntary retirement shall be retired on the date approved for the retirement of such officer as of the convening date of such selection board unless the Secretary concerned approves a modification of such date in order to prevent a personal hardship for the officer or for other humanitarian reasons.

(e)(1) The Secretary concerned may defer for not more than three months the retirement of an officer otherwise approved for early retirement under this section in order to prevent a personal hardship to the officer or for other humanitarian reasons. Any such deferral shall be made on a case-by-case basis considering the circumstances of the case of the particular officer concerned. The authority of the Secretary to grant such a deferral may not be delegated.

(2) An officer recommended for early retirement under this section, if approved for deferral under paragraph (1), shall be retired on the date requested by the officer, and approved by the Secretary concerned, which date shall be not later than the first day of the tenth calendar month beginning after the month in which the Secretary concerned approves the report of the board which recommended the officer for early retirement.

Amendments

2014—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 113–291, §501, redesignated second sentence of par. (1) as (2) and former par. (2) as (3), and, in par. (2), substituted "the list shall include—" for "the list shall include each", inserted "(A) the name of each" before "warrant officer on the active-duty list", substituted "; or" for period at end, and added subpar. (B).

1994—Par. (2). Pub. L. 103–337 inserted before period at end "(other than retired warrant officers who were recalled to active duty before February 1, 1992, and have served continuously on active duty since that date)".

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§583. Definitions

In this chapter:

(1) The term "promotion zone" means a promotion eligibility category consisting of officers on a warrant officer active-duty list in the same grade (or the same grade and competitive category) who—

(A) in the case of grades below chief warrant officer, W–5, have neither (i) failed of selection for promotion to the next higher grade, nor (ii) been removed from a list of warrant officers recommended for promotion to that grade (other than after having been placed on that list after a selection from below the promotion zone); and

(B) are senior to the warrant officer designated by the Secretary concerned to be the junior warrant officer in the promotion zone eligible for promotion to the next higher grade.

(2) The term "warrant officers above the promotion zone" means a group of officers on a warrant officer active-duty list in the same grade (or the same grade and competitive category) who—

(A) are eligible for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade;

(B) are in the same grade as warrant officers in the promotion zone; and

(C) are senior to the senior warrant officer in the promotion zone.

(3) The term "warrant officers below the promotion zone" means a group of officers on a warrant officer active-duty list in the same grade (or the same grade and competitive category) who—

(A) are eligible for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade;

(B) are in the same grade as warrant officers in the promotion zone; and

(C) are junior to the junior warrant officer in the promotion zone.

(4) The active-duty list referred to in section 573(b) of this title includes the active-duty promotion list established by section 41a 1 of title 14.

References in Text

Section 41a of title 14, referred to in par. (4), was redesignated section 2102 of title 14 by Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §112(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4216, and references to section 41a of title 14 deemed to refer to such redesignated section, see section 123(b)(1) of Pub. L. 115–282, set out as a References to Sections of Title 14 as Redesignated by Pub. L. 115–282 note preceding section 101 of Title 14, Coast Guard.

Amendments

1994—Par. (4). Pub. L. 103–337 added par. (4).

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after Oct. 5, 1994, see section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 571 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§591. Reference to chapters 1205 and 1207

Provisions of law relating to appointments of reserve officers other than warrant officers are set forth in chapter 1205 of this title (beginning with section 12201). Provisions of law relating to appointments and promotion of reserve warrant officers are set forth in chapter 1207 (beginning with section 12241).

(a) The President may designate positions of importance and responsibility to carry the grade of general or admiral or lieutenant general or vice admiral. The President may assign to any such position an officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who is serving on active duty in any grade above colonel or, in the case of an officer of the Navy, any grade above captain. An officer assigned to any such position has the grade specified for that position if he is appointed to that grade by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Except as provided in subsection (b), the appointment of an officer to a grade under this section for service in a position of importance and responsibility ends on the date of the termination of the assignment of the officer to that position.

(b) An officer who is appointed to the grade of general, admiral, lieutenant general, or vice admiral for service in a position designated under subsection (a) or by law to carry that grade shall continue to hold that grade—

(1) while serving in that position;

(2) while under orders transferring him to another position designated under subsection (a) or by law to carry one of those grades, beginning on the day his assignment to the first position is terminated and ending on the day before the day on which he assumes the second position;

(3) while hospitalized, beginning on the day of the hospitalization and ending on the day he is discharged from the hospital, but not for more than 180 days;

(4) at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, while the officer is awaiting orders after being relieved from the position designated under subsection (a) or by law to carry one of those grades, but not for more than 60 days beginning on the day the officer is relieved from the position, unless, during such period, the officer is placed under orders to another position designated under subsection (a) or by law to carry one of those grades, in which case paragraph (2) will also apply to the officer; and

(5) while awaiting retirement, beginning on the day he is relieved from the position designated under subsection (a) or by law to carry one of those grades and ending on the day before his retirement, but not for more than 60 days.

(c)(1) An appointment of an officer under subsection (a) does not vacate the permanent grade held by the officer.

(2) An officer serving in a grade above major general or rear admiral who holds the permanent grade of brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half) shall be considered for promotion to the permanent grade of major general or rear admiral, as appropriate, as if he were serving in his permanent grade.

(d)(1) When an officer is recommended to the President for an initial appointment to the grade of lieutenant general or vice admiral, or for an initial appointment to the grade of general or admiral, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall submit to the Secretary of Defense the Chairman's evaluation of the performance of that officer as a member of the Joint Staff and in other joint duty assignments. The Secretary of Defense shall submit the Chairman's evaluation to the President at the same time the recommendation for the appointment is submitted to the President.

(2) Whenever a vacancy occurs in a position within the Department of Defense that the President has designated as a position of importance and responsibility to carry the grade of general or admiral or lieutenant general or vice admiral or in an office that is designated by law to carry such a grade, the Secretary of Defense shall inform the President of the qualifications needed by an officer serving in that position or office to carry out effectively the duties and responsibilities of that position or office.

1984—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–525 amended subsec. (b) generally, which prior to amendment had provided that if the assignment of an officer who was serving in a position designated to carry the grade of general, admiral, lieutenant general, or vice admiral was terminated (1) by the assignment of such officer to another position designated to carry one of those grades, such officers would hold, during the period beginning on the day of that termination and ending on the day before the day on which he assumed the other position, the grade that he had held on the day before the termination; (2) by the hospitalization of such officer, such officer would hold, during the period beginning on the day of that termination and ending on the day he was discharged from the hospital, but not for more than 180 days, the grade that he had held on the day before the termination; or (3) by the retirement of such officer, such officer would hold, during the period beginning on the day of that termination and ending on the day before his retirement, but not for more than 90 days, the grade that he had held on the day before the termination.

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–86 effective Sept. 15, 1981, see section 405(f) of Pub. L. 97–86, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this chapter effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Transition Provisions Under Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

For provisions relating to temporary appointments of officers serving in grades above major general or rear admiral, see section 623 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

Effective Date of Repeal

Repeal effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.

§603. Appointments in time of war or national emergency

(a) In time of war, or of national emergency declared by the Congress or the President after November 30, 1980, the President may appoint any qualified person (whether or not already a member of the armed forces) to any officer grade in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, except that appointments under this section may not be made in grades above major general or rear admiral. Appointments under this section shall be made by the President alone, except that an appointment in the grade warrant officer, W–1, shall be made by warrant by the Secretary concerned.

(b) Any appointment under this section is a temporary appointment and may be vacated by the President at any time.

(c)(1) Any person receiving an original appointment under this section is entitled to service credit as authorized under section 533 of this title.

(2) An appointment under this section of a person who is not on active duty becomes effective when that person begins active duty under that appointment.

(d) An appointment under this section does not change the permanent status of a member of the armed forces so appointed. A member who is appointed under this section shall not incur any reduction in the pay and allowances to which the member was entitled, by virtue of his permanent status, at the time of his appointment under this section.

(e)(1) An officer who receives an appointment to a higher grade under this section is considered to have accepted such appointment on the date of the order announcing the appointment unless he expressly declines the appointment.

(2) An officer who has served continuously since he subscribed to the oath of office prescribed in section 3331 of title 5 is not required to take a new oath upon appointment to a higher grade under this section.

(f) Unless sooner terminated, an appointment under this section terminates on the earliest of the following:

(1) The second anniversary of the appointment.

(2) The end of the six-month period beginning on the last day of the war or national emergency during which the appointment was made.

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–190, §1113(d)(1)(A), substituted "Appointments in time of war or national emergency" for "Commissioned officer grades: time of war or national emergency" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–190, §1113(b), struck out "commissioned" before "officer grade in the Army" and "in warrant officer grades or" before "in grades above major general" and inserted before period at end ", except that an appointment in the grade warrant officer, W–1, shall be made by warrant by the Secretary concerned".

1989—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–189 substituted "terminates on the earliest of the following:" for "terminates—" in introductory provisions, and made numerous amendments to style and punctuation. Prior to amendment, subsec. (f) read as follows: "Unless sooner terminated, an appointment under this section terminates—

"(1) on the second anniversary of the appointment;

"(2) at the end of the six-month period beginning on the last day of the war or national emergency during which the appointment was made; or

"(3) on the date the person appointed is released from active duty;

whichever is earliest."

Effective Date of 1991 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 102–190 effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as a note under section 521 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Delegation of Functions

Functions of President under subsecs. (a) and (b) to make or vacate certain temporary commissioned appointments delegated to Secretary of Defense to perform during a time of war or national emergency, without approval, ratification, or other action by President, and with authority for Secretary to redelegate, provided that, during a national emergency declared by President, exercise of any such authority be specifically directed by President in accordance with section 1631 of Title 50, War and National Defense, and that Secretary ensure any authority so delegated be accounted for as required by section 1641 of Title 50, see Ex. Ord. No. 12396, §§2, 3, Dec. 9, 1982, 47 F.R. 55897, 55898, set out as a note under section 301 of Title 3, The President.

Ex. Ord. No. 13321. Appointments During National Emergency

Ex. Ord. No. 13321, Dec. 17, 2003, 68 F.R. 74465, provided:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and in order to further respond to the national emergency I declared in Proclamation 7463 of September 14, 2001 [50 U.S.C. 1621 note], I hereby order as follows:

Section 1. Emergency Appointments Authority. The emergency appointments authority at section 603 of title 10, United States Code, is invoked and made available to the Secretary of Defense in accordance with the terms of that statute and of Executive Order 12396 of December 9, 1982 [3 U.S.C. 301 note].

Sec. 2. Judicial Review. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees or agents, or any person.

Sec. 3. Administration. This order shall be transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register.

(a) Joint 4-Star Officer Positions.—(1) Whenever a vacancy occurs, or is anticipated to occur, in a position specified in subsection (b)—

(A) the Secretary of Defense shall require the Secretary of the Army to submit the name of at least one Army officer, the Secretary of the Navy to submit the name of at least one Navy officer and the name of at least one Marine Corps officer, and the Secretary of the Air Force to submit the name of at least one Air Force officer for consideration by the Secretary for recommendation to the President for appointment to that position; and

(B) the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may submit to the Secretary of Defense the name of one or more officers (in addition to the officers whose names are submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A)) for consideration by the Secretary for recommendation to the President for appointment to that position.

(2) Whenever the Secretaries of the military departments are required to submit the names of officers under paragraph (1)(A), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall submit to the Secretary of Defense the Chairman's evaluation of the performance of each officer whose name is submitted under that paragraph (and of any officer whose name the Chairman submits to the Secretary under paragraph (1)(B) for consideration for the same vacancy). The Chairman's evaluation shall primarily consider the performance of the officer as a member of the Joint Staff and in other joint duty assignments, but may include consideration of other aspects of the officer's performance as the Chairman considers appropriate.

(b) Covered Positions.—Subsection (a) applies to the following positions:

Amendments

2016—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 114–328 struck out par. (3) which read as follows: "Deputy commander, United States European Command, but only if the commander of that command is also the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe."

2003—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–136 struck out heading and text of subsec. (c). Text read as follows: "This section shall cease to be effective at the end of December 31, 2004."

(a) In General.—An officer in the grade of first lieutenant, captain, major, or lieutenant colonel in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or lieutenant (junior grade), lieutenant, lieutenant commander, or commander in the Navy, who is described in subsection (b) may be temporarily promoted to the grade of captain, major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or lieutenant, lieutenant commander, commander, or captain in the Navy, as applicable, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Appointments under this section shall be made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(b) Covered Officers.—An officer described in this subsection is any officer in a grade specified in subsection (a) who—

(1) has a skill in which the armed force concerned has a critical shortage of personnel (as determined by the Secretary of the military department concerned); and

(2) is serving in a position (as determined by the Secretary of the military department concerned) that—

(A) is designated to be held by a captain, major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or lieutenant, lieutenant commander, commander, or captain in the Navy, as applicable; and

(B) requires that an officer serving in such position have the skill possessed by such officer.

(c) Preservation of Position and Status of Officers Appointed.—An appointment under this section does not change the position on the active-duty list or the permanent, probationary, or acting status of the officer so appointed, prejudice the officer in regard to other promotions or appointments, or abridge the rights or benefits of the officer.

(d) Board Recommendation Required.—A temporary promotion under this section may be made only upon the recommendation of a board of officers convened by the Secretary of the military department concerned for the purpose of recommending officers for such promotions.

(e) Acceptance and Effective Date of Appointment.—Each appointment under this section, unless expressly declined, is, without formal acceptance, regarded as accepted on the date such appointment is made, and a member so appointed is entitled to the pay and allowances of the grade of the temporary promotion under this section from the date the appointment is made.

(f) Termination of Appointment.—Unless sooner terminated, an appointment under this section terminates—

(1) on the date the officer who received the appointment is promoted to the permanent grade of captain, major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or lieutenant, lieutenant commander, commander, or captain in the Navy; or

(2) on the date the officer is detached from a position described in subsection (b)(2), unless the officer is on a promotion list to the permanent grade of captain, major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or lieutenant, lieutenant commander, commander, or captain in the Navy, in which case the appointment terminates on the date the officer is promoted to that grade.

(g) Limitation on Number of Eligible Positions.—An appointment under this section may only be made for service in a position designated by the Secretary of the military department concerned for the purposes of this section. The number of positions so designated may not exceed the following:

§611. Convening of selection boards

(a) Whenever the needs of the service require, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall convene selection boards to recommend for promotion to the next higher permanent grade, under subchapter II of this chapter, officers on the active-duty list in each permanent grade from first lieutenant through brigadier general in the Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps and from lieutenant (junior grade) through rear admiral (lower half) in the Navy. The preceding sentence does not require the convening of a selection board in the case of officers in the permanent grade of first lieutenant or, in the case of the Navy, lieutenant (junior grade) when the Secretary concerned recommends for promotion to the next higher grade under section 624(a)(3) of this title all such officers whom the Secretary finds to be fully qualified for promotion.

(b) Whenever the needs of the service require, the Secretary of the military department concerned may convene selection boards to recommend officers for continuation on active duty under section 637 of this title or for early retirement under section 638 of this title.

(c) The convening of selection boards under subsections (a) and (b) shall be under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.

Amendments

2001—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–107, §505(a)(3)(A), substituted "Whenever the needs of the service require, the Secretary of the military department concerned" for "Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the military department concerned, whenever the needs of the service require," and inserted at end "The preceding sentence does not require the convening of a selection board in the case of officers in the permanent grade of first lieutenant or, in the case of the Navy, lieutenant (junior grade) when the Secretary concerned recommends for promotion to the next higher grade under section 624(a)(3) of this title all such officers whom the Secretary finds to be fully qualified for promotion."

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–107, §505(a)(3)(B), substituted "Whenever the needs of the service require, the Secretary of the military department concerned" for "Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the military department concerned, whenever the needs of the service require,".

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–86 effective Sept. 15, 1981, see section 405(f) of Pub. L. 97–86, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this subchapter effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Transition From Grade of Commodore to Grade of Rear Admiral (Lower Half)

"(1) An officer who on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 8, 1985] is serving in or has the grade of commodore shall as of the date of the enactment of this Act be serving in or have the grade of rear admiral (lower half).

"(2) An officer who on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act is on a list of officers selected for promotion to the grade of commodore shall as of the date of the enactment of this Act be considered to be on a list of officers selected for promotion to the grade of rear admiral (lower half)."

"Part A—Transition Provisions Relating Only to the Army and Air Force

"regular officers serving in a higher temporary grade below lieutenant general or recommended for promotion to a higher grade

"Sec. 601. (a) Except as provided in sections 603 and 604, any regular officer of the Army or Air Force who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981, except as otherwise provided in section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title] is on active duty and—

"(1) is serving in a temporary grade below lieutenant general that is higher than his regular grade;

"(2) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a temporary grade below lieutenant general; or

"(3) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a regular grade higher than the grade in which he is serving;

shall be considered to have been recommended by a board convened under section 611(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, for promotion to the regular grade equivalent to the grade in which he is serving or for which he has been recommended for promotion, as the case may be.

"(b) An officer referred to in clause (1) of subsection (a) who is not promoted to the grade to which he is considered under such subsection to have been recommended for promotion because his name is removed from a list of officers who are considered under such subsection to have been recommended for promotion shall be considered under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, for promotion to the regular grade equivalent to the temporary grade in which he was serving on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] as if he were serving in his regular grade.

"(c) Notwithstanding section 741(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, the date of rank of an officer referred to in subsection (a)(1) who is promoted to the temporary grade in which he is serving on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is the date of his temporary appointment in that grade.

"(d)(1) Any delay of a promotion of an officer referred to in clause (2) or (3) of subsection (a) that was in effect on September 14, 1981, under the laws and regulations in effect on such date shall continue in effect on and after September 15, 1981, as if such promotion had been delayed under section 624(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"(2) Any action to remove from a promotion list the name of an officer referred to in clause (2) or (3) of subsection (a) that was initiated before September 15, 1981, under the laws and regulations in effect before such date shall continue on and after such date as if such removal action had been initiated under section 629 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"reserve officers serving in a higher temporary grade below lieutenant general or recommended for promotion to a higher grade

"Sec. 602. (a)(1) Except as provided in subsection (b) and sections 605 and 606, any reserve officer of the Army or Air Force who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is subject to placement on the active-duty list of his armed force and—

"(A) is serving in a temporary grade below lieutenant general that is higher than his reserve grade; or

"(B) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a temporary grade below lieutenant general that is the same as or higher than his reserve grade;

shall be considered to have been recommended by a board convened under section 611(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, for promotion to the reserve grade equivalent to the grade in which he is serving or for which he has been recommended for promotion, as the case may be.

"(2) Notwithstanding section 741(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, the date of rank of an officer referred to in paragraph (1)(A) who is promoted to the grade to which he is considered under such paragraph to have been recommended for promotion is the date of his temporary appointment in that grade.

"(b) A reserve officer of the Army or Air Force who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(1) is subject to placement on the active-duty list of his armed force;

"(2) is serving on active duty in a temporary grade; and

"(3) either holds a reserve grade higher than the temporary grade in which he is serving or is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to a reserve grade higher than the temporary grade in which he is serving,

shall while continuing on active duty retain such temporary grade and shall be considered for promotion under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, to a grade equal to or lower than his reserve grade as if such temporary grade is a permanent grade. If such officer is recommended for promotion under such chapter to such a grade, his appointment to such grade shall be a temporary appointment.

"(c)(1) Any delay of a promotion of an officer referred to in clause (B) of subsection (a)(1) that was in effect on September 14, 1981, under the laws and regulations in effect on such date shall continue in effect on and after September 15, 1981, as if such promotion has been delayed under section 624(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"(2) Any action to remove from a promotion list the name of an officer referred to in clause (B) of subsection (a)(1) that was initiated before September 15, 1981, under the laws and regulations in effect before such date shall continue on and after such date as if such removal action had been initiated under section 629 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"regular officers once failed of selection for promotion

"Sec. 603. (a) An officer of the Army or Air Force who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(1) holds the regular grade of first lieutenant, captain, or major; and

"(2) has been considered once but not recommended for promotion to the next higher regular grade by a selection board convened under the laws in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act,

shall, within one year after the effective date of this Act, be considered for promotion to the next higher regular grade by a selection board convened by the Secretary concerned under the laws in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act.

"(b)(1)(A) An officer described in subsection (a) who is recommended for promotion by the selection board which considers him pursuant to such subsection shall be considered to have been recommended for promotion to the next higher regular grade or the grade in which he is serving, whichever grade is higher, by a board convened under section 611(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act. Notwithstanding section 741(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, the date of rank of an officer referred to in the preceding sentence who was serving in the temporary grade equivalent to the grade to which he is considered to have been recommended for promotion and who is promoted to that grade is the date of his temporary appointment in that grade.

"(2) An officer described in subsection (a) who is not recommended for promotion by such board shall, unless continued on active duty under section 637 of such title, as added by this Act, be retired, if eligible to retire, be discharged, or be continued on active duty until eligible to retire and then be retired, under the laws applicable on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981].

"regular officers twice failed of selection for promotion

"Sec. 604. An officer of the Army or Air Force who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(1) holds the regular grade of first lieutenant, captain, or major; and

"(2) has twice failed of selection for promotion to the next higher regular grade,

shall, unless continued on active duty under section 637 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, be retired, if eligible to retire, be discharged, or be continued on active duty until eligible to retire and then be retired, under the laws in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act.

"reserve officers once failed of selection for promotion

"Sec. 605. (a) A reserve officer of the Army or Air Force who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(1) is on active duty and subject to placement on the active-duty list of his armed force;

"(2) holds the reserve grade of first lieutenant, captain, or major; and

"(3) has been considered once but not selected for promotion to the next higher reserve grade under section 3366, 3367, 8366, or 8367 [see section 14301 et seq. of this title], as appropriate, of title 10, United States Code,

shall, unless sooner promoted, be considered again for promotion to that grade by a selection board convened under section 3366, 3367, 8366, or 8367, as appropriate, of such title.

"(b)(1) An officer described in subsection (a) who is serving on active duty in a temporary grade higher than his reserve grade on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] and who is recommended by the selection board which considers him pursuant to such subsection for promotion to the reserve grade equivalent to the temporary grade in which he is serving on such date shall be considered as having been recommended for promotion to that reserve grade in the report of a selection board convened under section 611(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act. Notwithstanding section 741(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, the date of rank of an officer referred to in the preceding sentence who is promoted to the reserve grade equivalent to the temporary grade in which he is serving on such date is the date of his temporary appointment in that grade.

"(2) An officer described in subsection (a) who is serving on active duty in a temporary grade equivalent to or lower than his reserve grade on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] and who is recommended by the selection board which considers him pursuant to such subsection for promotion to a reserve grade higher than the temporary grade in which he was serving on such date shall be considered as having been recommended for promotion to that reserve grade in the report of a selection board convened under section 3366, 3367, 8366, or 8367 [see section 14301 et seq. of this title], as appropriate, of such title. If such an officer is not ordered to active duty in his reserve grade, he shall while continuing on active duty retain such temporary grade and shall be considered for promotion under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, to a grade equal to or lower than his reserve grade as if such temporary grade is a permanent grade. If such officer is recommended for promotion under such chapter to such a grade, his appointment to such grade shall be a temporary appointment to such grade.

"(3) An officer described in subsection (a) who is not recommended for promotion by the selection board which considers him pursuant to such subsection shall be governed by section 3846 or 8846, as appropriate, of title 10, United States Code, as a deferred officer.

"reserve officers twice failed of selection for promotion

"Sec. 606. An officer of the Army or Air Force who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(1) was on active duty and subject to placement on the active-duty list of his armed force; and

"(2) held the reserve grade of first lieutenant, captain, or major; and

"(3) was considered to have twice failed of selection for promotion to the next higher reserve grade,

shall be governed by [former] section 3846 or 8846, as appropriate, of title 10, United States Code, as a deferred officer.

"entitlement to severance pay or separation pay of officers separated or discharged pursuant to this part

"Sec. 607. (a) An officer who is discharged in accordance with section 603(b)(2) or 604 is entitled, at his election, to—

"(1) the severance pay to which he would have been entitled under the laws in effect before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]; or

"(2) separation pay, if eligible therefor, under section 1174(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"(b) An officer who is separated in accordance with section 605(b)(3) or 606 is entitled, at his election, to—

"(1) readjustment pay under section 687 of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]; or

"(2) separation pay, if eligible therefor, under section 1174(c) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"special tenure provisions for officers serving in temporary grades of brigadier general and major general

"Sec. 608. (a) Notwithstanding section 635 or 636 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, but subject to subsection (b), a regular officer of the Army or Air Force—

"(1) who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is serving in or is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to the temporary grade of brigadier general or major general;

"(2) whose regular grade on such date is below such temporary grade; and

"(3) who is promoted pursuant to section 601(a) to the regular grade equivalent to such temporary grade,

shall be subject to mandatory retirement for years of service in accordance with the laws applicable on the day before the effective date of this Act to officers in the permanent grade he held on such date. However, such an officer shall not be subject to a mandatory retirement date which is earlier than the first day of the month following the month of the thirtieth day after he completes 30 years of service as computed under section 3927(a) or 8927(a), as appropriate, of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act.

"(b)(1) The Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Air Force, as appropriate, may convene selection boards under this section for the purpose of recommending from among officers described in subsection (a) officers to be selected to be subject to mandatory retirement for years of service in accordance with the laws applicable on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] to officers in the permanent grade to which such officers were promoted pursuant to section 601(a) or to officers in a lower permanent grade higher than the permanent grade held by such officers on the day before the effective date of this Act.

"(2) Upon the recommendation of a selection board convened under this section, the Secretary concerned may select officers described in subsection (a) to be subject to mandatory retirement in accordance with the provisions of section 3922, 3923, 8922, or 8923, as appropriate, of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981], rather than in the manner described in subsection (a).

"(3) Any selection board convened under this section shall be convened in accordance with the provisions of section 3297 or 8297, as appropriate, of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981].

"(c) This section does not apply to an officer who—

"(1) is sooner retired or separated under another provision of law;

"(2) is promoted to the permanent grade of brigadier general pursuant to section 601(a) and is subsequently promoted to the permanent grade of major general under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act; or

"(3) is continued on active duty under section 637 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"right of majors and colonels to complete years of service allowed under prior law

"Sec. 609. (a)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), an officer of the Army or Air Force who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(A) holds the regular grade of major; or

"(B) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to the regular grade of major,

shall be retained on active duty until he completes twenty-one years of service as computed under section 3927(a) or 8927(a), as appropriate, of title 10, United States Code (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act), and then be retired under the provisions of section 3913 or 8913 of such title (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act) on the first day of the month after the month in which he completes that service.

"(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to an officer who—

"(A) is sooner retired or separated under another provision of law;

"(B) is promoted to the regular grade of lieutenant colonel; or

"(C) is continued on active duty under section 637 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"(b)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), an officer of the Army or Air Force who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(A) holds the regular grade of colonel; or

"(B) is on a list of officers recommended for promotion to the regular grade of colonel,

shall be retired under section 3921 or 8921 [now 7321 or 9321], as appropriate, of such title (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act).

"(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to an officer who—

"(A) is sooner retired or separated under another provision of law;

"(B) is promoted to the regular grade of brigadier general; or

"(C) is continued on active duty under section 637 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"regular officers whose retirement has been deferred

"Sec. 610. A regular officer of the Army or Air Force serving on active duty on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] whose retirement under chapter 367 or 867 [now 741 or 941] of title 10, United States Code, has been deferred before that date—

"(1) under a provision of such chapter; or

"(2) by virtue of a suspension, under any provision of law, of provisions of such chapter which would otherwise require such retirement,

may continue to serve on active duty to complete the period for which his retirement was deferred or until such suspension is removed.

"Part B—Transition Provisions Relating Only to the Navy and Marine Corps

"officers serving in a temporary grade below vice admiral or lieutenant general or recommended for promotion

"Sec. 611. (a) Subject to subsection (b), any regular officer of the Navy or Marine Corps, and any reserve officer of the Navy and Marine Corps who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is subject to placement on the active-duty list, who on the effective date of this Act—

"(1) is serving on active duty in a temporary grade below vice admiral or lieutenant general that is higher than his permanent grade; or

"(2) is on a promotion list,

shall be considered to have been recommended for promotion to the permanent grade equivalent to the grade in which he is serving or for which he has been recommended for promotion, as the case may be, by a board convened under section 611(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"(b) This section does not apply to an officer—

"(1) serving in a temporary grade which, by its own terms, is limited in duration;

"(2) designated for limited duty in a grade to which he was appointed under section 5596 [now 8146] of title 10, United States Code, before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]; or

"(3) recommended for promotion or promoted to a grade under section 5787 of such title, as in effect before the effective date of this Act.

"(c)(1) Any delay of a promotion of an officer referred to in clause (2) of subsection (a) that was in effect on September 14, 1981, under the laws and regulations in effect on such date, shall continue in effect on and after September 15, 1981, as if such promotion had been delayed under section 624(d) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"(2) Any action to remove from a promotion list the name of an officer referred to in clause (2) of subsection (a) which was initiated before September 15, 1981, under the laws and regulations in effect before such date shall continue on and after such date as if such removal action had been initiated under section 629 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"officers failed of selection for promotion

"Sec. 612. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), an officer of the Navy or Marine Corps who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is considered to have failed of selection for promotion one or more times to a grade below the grade of captain, in the case of an officer of the Navy, or below the grade of colonel, in the case of an officer of the Marine Corps, is subject to chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, as if such failure or failures had occurred under the provisions of such chapter.

"(b) An officer who during fiscal year 1981—

"(1) failed twice of selection for promotion to the grade of either lieutenant or lieutenant commander, in the case of an officer in the Navy, or to either captain or major, in the case of an officer in the Marine Corps; and

"(2) had not previously failed of selection for promotion to that grade,

may not, because of such failures of selection, be involuntarily separated, involuntarily discharged, or retired under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, before June 30, 1982, unless the officer so requests.

"right of certain officers to retire under prior law

"Sec. 613. (a)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), an officer who on September 15, 1981—

"(A) holds the grade of lieutenant commander, commander, or captain in the Regular Navy or the grade of major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel in the Regular Marine Corps; or

"(B) is on a promotion list to any such grade,

shall be retired on the date provided under the laws in effect on September 14, 1981, except that an officer for whom no means can be established under the laws in effect on September 14, 1981, for computing creditable service in determining whether the officer is subject to involuntary retirement shall be retired under chapter 573 [now 843] of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on September 14, 1981, on the basis of the years of service of such officer as determined under regulations prescribed under section 624(b).

"(2) This subsection does not apply to an officer—

"(A) removed from active duty under section 1184 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act;

"(B) promoted to a higher grade in the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps;

"(C) continued on active duty under section 637 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act; or

"(D) selected for early retirement under section 638 of title 10, United States Code.

"(b)(1) An officer of the Navy who on September 14, 1981—

"(A) has the grade of rear admiral in the Regular Navy; or

"(B) was on a promotion list to such grade,

shall be continued on active duty or retired in accordance with the laws in effect on September 14, 1981.

"(2) An officer of the Marine Corps who on September 14, 1981—

"(A) has the grade of brigadier general in the Regular Marine Corps; or

"(B) was on a promotion list to such grade,

shall be retired in accordance with the laws in effect on September 14, 1981.

"transition provisions to new commodore grade

"Sec. 614. (a)(1) An officer of the Navy who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(A) was serving on active duty in the grade of rear admiral and was receiving the basic pay of a rear admiral of the upper half; or

"(B) was serving on active duty in the grade of admiral or vice admiral and would have been entitled to receive the basic pay of a rear admiral of the upper half had he not been serving in such grade on such date,

shall after such date hold the permanent grade of rear admiral.

"(2) An officer of the Navy who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(A) was serving on active duty in the grade of rear admiral and was receiving the basic pay of a rear admiral of the lower half; or

"(B) was serving on active duty in the grade of admiral or vice admiral and would have been entitled to receive the basic pay of a rear admiral of the lower half had he not been serving in such grade on such date,

shall after such date hold the permanent grade of commodore, but shall retain the title of rear admiral.

"(3) An officer who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] was on a list of officers recommended for promotion to the grade of rear admiral shall, upon promotion, hold the grade of commodore with the title of rear admiral.

"(b) An officer who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(1) was serving on active duty in the grade of rear admiral and was entitled to the basic pay of a rear admiral of the lower half; or

"(2) was on a list of officers recommended for promotion to the grade of rear admiral,

shall, on and after the effective date of this Act, or in the case of an officer on such a list, upon promotion to the grade of commodore, be entitled to wear the uniform and insignia of a rear admiral.

"(c) Except as otherwise provided by law, an officer of the Navy who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] held the grade of rear admiral on the retired list or the temporary disability retired list retains the grade of rear admiral and is entitled after such date to wear the uniform and insignia of a rear admiral. Such an officer, when ordered to active duty—

"(1) holds the grade and has the right to wear the uniform and insignia of a rear admiral; and

"(2) ranks among commissioned officers of the armed forces as and is entitled to the basic pay of—

"(A) a commodore, if his retired pay was based on the basic pay of a rear admiral of the lower half on the day before the effective date of this Act; or

"(B) a rear admiral, if his retired pay was based on the basic pay of a rear admiral of the upper half on the day before the effective date of this Act.

"(d)(1) An officer of the Navy who—

"(A) on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(i) was serving on active duty in the grade of rear admiral and was entitled to the basic pay of a rear admiral of the lower half or was serving on active duty in the grade of admiral or vice admiral and would have been entitled to receive the basic pay of a rear admiral of the lower half had he not been serving in such grade on such date; or

"(ii) was on a list of officers recommended for promotion to the grade of rear admiral; and

"(B) after such date holds the permanent grade of commodore pursuant to subsection (a),

shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, relating to selection for promotion and promotion to the next higher grade.

"(2) Officers to whom this subsection applies become entitled to hold the permanent grade of rear admiral under the circumstances prescribed for entitlement to the basic pay of a rear admiral of the upper half under the provisions of subsections (a) through (d) of section 202 of title 37, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]. For the purposes of this subsection, officers serving in the permanent grade of rear admiral or commodore in accordance with subsection (a) shall be considered as serving in the grade of rear admiral, as such grade was in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act.

"(e) Unless entitled to a higher grade under another provision of law, an officer of the Navy who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(1) was serving on active duty; and

"(2) held the grade of rear admiral;

and who retires on or after the effective date of this Act, retires in the grade of rear admiral and is entitled to wear the uniform and insignia of a rear admiral. If such an officer is ordered to active duty after his retirement, he is considered, for the purposes of determining his pay, uniform and insignia, and rank among other commissioned officers, as having held the grade of rear admiral on the retired list on the day before the effective date of this Act.

"(f) A reserve officer of the Navy who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] was in an active status and was serving in the grade of rear admiral or was on a list of reserve officers recommended for promotion to the grade of rear admiral is not subject to [former] subsection (f) of section 6389 [now 8373] of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"female officers

"Sec. 615. (a) Except as provided under subsection (c), each regular officer who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is serving on the active list in the line of the Navy or on the active list of the Marine Corps under an appointment made under section 5590 of title 10, United States Code, shall be reappointed in the line of the Navy or in the Marine Corps, as appropriate, in the grade and with the date of rank held by such officer immediately before such reappointment. Each such reappointment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of such title as amended by this Act but notwithstanding any limitation otherwise applicable with regard to age, grade, or physical standards.

"(b) Each officer of the Navy who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is serving in a staff corps under an appointment made under section 5590 of title 10, United States Code, shall be reappointed in that corps in the grade and with the date of rank held by such officer immediately before such reappointment. Each such reappointment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of such title as amended by this Act but notwithstanding any limitation otherwise applicable with regard to age, grade, or physical standards.

"(c) Any officer who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is serving on the active list in the line of the Navy under an appointment made under section 5590 of title 10, United States Code, and who meets the qualifications for appointment in a staff corps of the Navy may, request appointment in a staff corps and, with the approval of the Secretary of the Navy, be appointed in that staff corps. Any appointment under this subsection shall be in lieu of the reappointment of the officer under subsection (a).

"(d) Each officer reappointed in a staff corps pursuant to subsection (b) or appointed in a staff corps under subsection (c) shall be considered for all purposes as having been originally appointed in such staff corps in accordance with the provisions of title 10, United States Code, as amended by this Act.

"(e) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, all provisions of law relating to appointment, promotion, separation, and retirement which are applicable to male officers of the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps, as appropriate, apply to officers reappointed pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) or appointed under subsection (c).

"(f)(1) As soon as practicable after completion of the appointments and reappointments provided for in subsections (a), (b), and (c), the name of each officer so appointed or reappointed shall be entered on the appropriate active-duty list of the Navy or the Marine Corps in a position among officers of her grade determined in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy. Such officers shall be placed on the appropriate active-duty list without change in their relative positions held on the lineal list or any list for promotion established for them while they were serving under an appointment under any provision of title 10, United States Code, repealed by this Act.

"(2) Any female officer—

"(A) who, by virtue of her date of rank and other considerations, would be placed on a list of officers eligible for consideration for promotion in a position senior to an officer who has failed of selection for promotion one or more times; and

"(B) who is considered to have failed of selection for promotion once or is considered to have never failed of selection for promotion,

shall, for purposes of determining her eligibility for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade, be considered with those officers who are considered to have failed of selection for promotion once, or who are considered never to have failed of selection for promotion, as the case may be.

"(3) A female officer who is considered to have failed of selection for promotion one or more times and whose position on the active-duty list is junior to the position of any male officer who is considered to have failed of selection for promotion a fewer number of times or not at all may not derive any advantage in the selection process by virtue of such position on the active-duty list.

"(g) Except as provided in section 638 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, a regular officer of the Navy or Marine Corps appointed under section 5590 of such title who—

"(1) before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] had not twice failed of selection for promotion to the next higher grade; and

"(2) is not selected for promotion to a higher regular grade on or after such effective date,

may not be retired earlier than such officer would have been retired had this Act not been enacted.

"(h)(1) Any officer who—

"(A) on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is a lieutenant in the Navy or a captain in the Marine Corps;

"(B) under section 6396(c) or 6401 of title 10, United States Code (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act), would have been discharged on June 30 of the fiscal year in which that officer (i) was not on a promotion list, and (ii) had completed 13 years of active commissioned service; and

"(C) because of the enactment of this Act, is subject to discharge under section 632 of such title because such officer has twice failed of selection for promotion,

shall, if such officer has not completed 13 years of active commissioned service at the time otherwise prescribed for the discharge of such officer under such section and such officer so requests, not be discharged until June 30 of the fiscal year in which the officer completes 13 years of active commissioned service.

"(2) Any officer who—

"(A) on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is a lieutenant (junior grade) in the Navy or a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps;

"(B) under section 6396(d) or 6402 of title 10, United States Code (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act), would have been discharged on June 30 of the fiscal year in which that officer (i) was not on a promotion list, and (ii) had completed 7 years of active commissioned service; and

"(C) because of the enactment of this Act, is subject to discharge under section 631 of such title because such officer has twice failed of selection for promotion,

shall, if that officer has not completed 7 years of active commissioned service at the time otherwise prescribed for such discharge under such section and such officer so requests, not be discharged until June 30 of the fiscal year in which the officer completes 7 years of active commissioned service.

"limited-duty officers

"Sec. 616. (a) An officer of the Regular Navy or Regular Marine Corps who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is an officer who was designated for limited duty before that date under section 5589 [now 8139] of title 10, United States Code, is subject to section 6383 [now 8372] of such title (as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act), unless promoted to a higher permanent grade under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"(b) Any female member of the Navy who on April 2, 1981, was appointed under section 591 [now 12201] or 5590 of title 10, United States Code, in the grade of ensign as an officer designated for limited duty may after September 14, 1981, be reappointed as an officer designated for limited duty under section 5596 [now 8146] of title 10, United States Code, as amended by this Act. A member so reappointed shall have a date of rank as an ensign of April 2, 1981, and shall have the same permanent pay grade and status as that member held on April 1, 1981.

"(c) An officer of the Navy or Marine Corps who on September 15, 1981, was an officer designated for limited duty under section 5589 [now 8139] of title 10, United States Code, and who on the date of the enactment of this subsection [Oct. 19, 1984] is serving in a temporary grade above the grade of lieutenant, in the case of an officer of the Navy, or captain, in the case of an officer of the Marine Corps, may be reappointed under section 5589 [now 8139] of title 10, United States Code (as in effect on or after September 15, 1981), in the same permanent grade and with the same date of rank held by that officer on the active-duty list immediately before such reappointment if he is otherwise eligible for appointment under that section.

"Sec. 617. Any officer who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] holds a temporary appointment in the grade of lieutenant commander under section 5787d of title 10, United States Code, shall on and after such date be considered to be serving in such grade as if such appointment had been made under [former] section 5721 of such title, as added by this Act.

"director of budget and reports of the navy

"Sec. 618. (a) An officer of the Navy who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] was serving on active duty and entitled to rank and privileges of retirement under section 5064 of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act, shall have his rank and retirement privileges determined under the laws in effect on such date.

"contingency authority for navy promotions under prior law

"Sec. 619. If necessary because of unforeseen circumstances, the Secretary of the Navy, during fiscal year 1982, may convene boards to select officers for promotion under chapters 545 and 549 of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on September 14, 1981, and officers so selected may be promoted in accordance with such chapters. An officer promoted to a higher grade under the authority of this section shall be subject to sections 613 and 629 as if he held that grade on September 14, 1981, and shall have a date of rank to be determined under section 741 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by this Act.

"retention on active duty of certain reserve lieutenant commanders

"Sec. 620. Notwithstanding section 6389 [now 8373] of title 10, United States Code, an officer who on September 14, 1981—

"(2) is on active duty as the result of recall orders accepted subsequent to a break in active commissioned service;

"(3) is subject to placement on the active-duty list; and

"(4) is considered—

"(A) to have failed of selection for promotion to the grade of commander one or more times under chapter 545 of title 10, United States Code, as in effect on September 14, 1981; or

"(B) to have been later considered to have failed of selection for promotion to the grade of commander one or more times under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act,

may be retained on active duty by the Secretary of the Navy for such period as the Secretary considers appropriate.

"Part C—General Transition Provisions

"establishment of initial active-duty lists

"Sec. 621. (a)(1) Not later than 6 months after the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981], all officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps who are required to be placed on the active-duty list for their armed force under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, shall be placed on such list with the same relative seniority which they held on the day before the effective date of this Act. An officer placed on an active-duty list under this section shall be considered to have been placed on such list as of the effective date of this Act.

"(2) Regulations prescribed under section 620 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, shall be applicable to the placement of officers on the active-duty list under paragraph (1).

"(b) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, which shall apply uniformly among the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, the Secretary of the military department concerned, in order to maintain the relative seniority among officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps as it existed on September 14, 1981, may adjust the date of rank of officers—

"(1) below the grade of brigadier general or commodore during the one-year period beginning on September 15, 1981; and

"(2) above the grade of colonel or, in the case of the Navy, captain until there are no longer any officers to whom section 614(d) is applicable.

"officers serving in the same temporary grade and permanent grade; date of rank

"Sec. 622. (a) Any officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is serving on active duty in a temporary grade which is the same as his permanent grade shall on such date be serving in such grade subject to this title and the amendments made by this Act. The date of rank of such officer in that grade is the date of his temporary appointment to that grade.

"officers serving in grades above major general or rear admiral

"Sec. 623. (a) Any officer who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] held a temporary appointment in the grade of lieutenant general or general under section 3066, 5232, or 8066 of title 10, United States Code, or a temporary appointment in the grade of vice admiral or admiral under section 5231 of such title, shall on and after such date be considered to be serving in such grade as if such appointment had been made under section 601 of such title, as added by this Act.

"(b)(1) Any designation of a position as a position of importance and responsibility made by the President under section 3066 or 8066 of title 10, United States Code, before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981], shall remain in effect, unless changed by the President, as a designation of such position as a position of importance and responsibility under section 601 of such title, as added by this Act.

"(2) Any position held by an officer under section 5231 or 5232 of title 10, United States Code, on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] shall, unless changed by the President, be deemed to be a position of importance and responsibility designated by the President under section 601 of title 10, United States Code.

"(c) Any officer who before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] served in the grade of lieutenant general, general, vice admiral, or admiral but was not serving in such grade on the day before the effective date of this Act shall for the purposes of section 1370(c) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, be deemed to have held such position under an appointment made under section 601 of such title, as added by this Act.

"years of service for involuntary retirement or discharge

"Sec. 624. (a) In determining whether any officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who was on active duty on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is subject to involuntary retirement or discharge under chapter 36 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, the years of service of the officer for such purpose shall be computed by adding—

"(1) the amount of service creditable to such officer on the day before the effective date of this Act for the purpose of determining whether the officer is subject to involuntary retirement or discharge; and

"(2) all subsequent active commissioned service of such officer.

"(b) In the case of an officer subject to placement on the active-duty list on September 15, 1981, for whom no means of computing service creditable in determining whether the officer is subject to involuntary retirement or discharge existed under the law in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981], the amount of creditable service of such officer for such purpose for the period before the effective date of this Act shall be determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the military department concerned, except that such an officer may not be credited with an amount of service less than the amount of his active commissioned service.

"savings provision for constructive service previously granted

"Sec. 625. (a) The amendments made by this Act do not affect the crediting of years of service to any person who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]—

"(1) had been credited with years of service upon an original appointment as an officer or after such an appointment; or

"(2) was participating in a program leading to an appointment as an officer in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps and the crediting of years of service.

"(b)(1) Any officer who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] is an officer of the Army or Navy in the Medical or Dental Corps of his armed force, an officer of the Air Force designated as a medical or dental officer, or an officer of the Public Health Service commissioned as a medical or dental officer is entitled to include in the years of service creditable to him for the computation of basic pay and retired pay the years of service creditable to him for such purposes under clauses (7) and (8) of section 205(a) of title 37, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act.

"(2) Any person who on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] was enrolled in the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences under chapter 104 of this title or the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program under chapter 105 of this title and who on or after the effective date of this Act graduates from such university or completes such program, as the case may be, and is appointed in one of the categories specified in paragraph (1) is entitled to include in the years of service creditable to him for the computation of basic pay and retired pay the years of service that would have been credited to him under clauses (7) and (8) of section 205(a) of title 37, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the effective date of this Act, had such clauses not been repealed by this Act.

"miscellaneous provisions relating to years of service

"Sec. 626. (a) For the purpose of computing the years of service for pay and allowances of an officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, including retired pay, severance pay, readjustment pay, separation pay, and basic pay, the total years of service of such officer shall be computed by adding to that service so creditable on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] all subsequent service as computed under title 10, United States Code, as amended by this Act.

"(b) An officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who was on active duty on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] and who is retired under section 1251 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, shall be entitled to retired pay in an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the basic pay upon which his retired pay is based.

"(c) The service that an officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps has in a particular grade is the sum of—

"(A) the years, months, and days of service in that grade accrued under the laws in effect before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981]; and

"(B) the years, months, and days of service in that grade accrued under the laws in effect on and after the effective date of this Act.

"transition to officer grade-strength tables during fiscal year 1981

"Sec. 627. For the fiscal year ending on September 30, 1981, the maximum number of officers authorized to be serving on active duty as of the end of such fiscal year in each of the grades of major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel for the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and in each of the grades of lieutenant commander, commander, and captain for the Navy, under section 523 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, is increased by the number equal to one-half the difference between (1) the actual number of officers of that armed force serving on active duty in that grade on September 30, 1980 (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b) of such section), and (2) the number specified in the table contained in such section for such armed force and grade based upon the total number of commissioned officers of such armed force on active duty on September 30, 1981 (excluding officers in categories specified in subsection (b) of such section).

"right of commissioned officers with permanent enlisted or warrant officer status to retire in highest enlisted or warrant officer grade held

"Sec. 628. (a) A member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who—

"(1) on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] had a permanent status as an enlisted member or as a warrant officer (or had a statutory right to be enlisted or to be appointed as a warrant officer) and was serving as an officer under a temporary appointment; and

"(2) on or after the effective date of this Act and before completing 10 years of commissioned service for purposes of retirement eligibility under section 3911, 6323, or 8911 [now 7311, 8323, or 9311] of title 10, United States Code, completes 20 years of total service, as determined under section 1405 of such title,

is entitled to retire or transfer to the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve in the highest grade he held as an enlisted member or a warrant officer.

"savings provision for retired grade for officers not subsequently promoted

"Sec. 629. In applying section 1370(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, to an officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who was on active duty on the day before the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] and who on or after the effective date of this Act is not promoted to a grade higher than the grade he held on the day before the effective date of this Act or, in the case of an officer who was on a list of officers recommended for promotion on such date, is not promoted to a grade higher than the grade to which he was recommended for promotion, 'two years' shall be substituted for 'three years'. The Secretary of the military department concerned may waive the requirements of this section and of section 1370(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, with respect to any officer described in the preceding sentence.

"exemption of certain officers from selective early retirement provisions

"Sec. 630. An officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who was recommended for continuation on the active list under the Act entitled 'An Act to provide improved opportunity for promotion for certain officers in the naval service, and for other purposes', approved August 11, 1959 (Public Law 86–155; 10 U.S.C. 5701 note), or under section 10 of the Act entitled 'An Act relating to the promotion and separation of certain officers of the regular components of the armed forces', approved July 12, 1960 (Public Law 86–616; 10 U.S.C. 3297 note), is not subject to section 638 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, relating to selective early retirement.

"savings provision for entitlement to readjustment pay or severance pay under prior provisions of law

"Sec. 631. (a) A member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who—

"(1) was on active duty (other than for training) on Sept. 14, 1981; and

"(2) after such date is involuntarily discharged or released from active duty under any provision of title 10, United States Code, as in effect after such date,

is entitled to receive any readjustment payment or severance pay to which he would have been entitled under laws in effect on Sept. 14, 1981, unless (in the case of a member discharged or released on or after the date of the enactment of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1985 [Oct. 19, 1984]) the Secretary concerned determines that the conditions under which the member is discharged or separated do not warrant such pay.

"(b) If a member who is entitled to receive a readjustment payment or severance pay under subsection (a) is also eligible to receive separation pay under section 1174 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, the member may not receive both the readjustment payment and severance pay under laws in effect on Sept. 14, 1981, and separation pay under such section, but shall elect which he will receive. If the number fails to make an election in a timely manner, he shall be paid the amount which is more favorable to him.

"officers on active duty in grade above general

"Sec. 632. Section 1251 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, relating to mandatory retirement for age, shall not apply to any officer who on the effective date of this Act [Sept. 15, 1981] was on active duty in a grade above general.

"definitions

"Sec. 633. For the purposes of this title:

"(1) The term 'officer' does not include warrant officers.

"(2) The term 'active-duty list' means the active-duty list established by the Secretary of the military department concerned pursuant to section 620 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act.

"savings provision for retired grade of certain reserve officers

"Sec. 634. Unless entitled to a higher grade under any other provision of law, a member of the Army or Air Force who is a reserve officer and who—

"(1) is on active duty on September 14, 1981; and

"(2) after such date retires under section 3911 or 8911 [now 7311 or 9311] of title 10, United States Code,

is entitled to retire in the reserve grade which he held or to which he had been selected for promotion on September 14, 1981.

"savings provision for original appointment in certain grades under existing regulations

"Sec. 635. Any person who before September 15, 1981—

"(1) was selected for participation in a postbaccalaureate educational program leading to an appointment as a commissioned officer or had completed a postbaccalaureate program and was selected for appointment as a commissioned officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps;

"(2) under regulations of the Secretary of the military department concerned in effect on December 12, 1980, would have been appointed and ordered to active duty in a grade specified or determined in accordance with such regulations; and

"(3) had not been so appointed and ordered to active duty,

may be appointed and ordered to active duty in such grade with a date of rank and position on the active-duty list junior to that of all other officers of the same grade and competitive category serving on active duty.

"retention in grade of certain reserve officers

"Sec. 636. A reserve officer of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who on September 14, 1981—

"(1) is serving on active duty (A) under section 10(b)(2) of the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 460(b)(2)) [now 50 U.S.C. 3809(b)(2)] for the administration of the Selective Service System, or (B) under section 708 of title 32; and

"(2) is serving in a temporary grade or is selected for promotion to a temporary grade,

may continue to serve in or may be promoted to and serve in such grade until promoted to a higher grade, separated, or retired.

"savings provision regarding discharge of regular officers

"Sec. 637. An officer of the Regular Army, Regular Navy, Regular Air Force, or Regular Marine Corps who on September 14, 1981, was serving on active duty may not be discharged under section 630(1)(A) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, on or after the day on which that officer completes three years of continuous service as a regular commissioned officer.

"repayment of readjustment and severance pay

"Sec. 638. Notwithstanding section 1174(h) of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act, a person who received readjustment or severance pay before September 15, 1981, and who, on or after September 15, 1981, becomes entitled to retired or retainer pay under any provision of title 10 or title 14, United States Code, shall be required to repay that readjustment pay or severance pay in accordance with the laws in effect on September 14, 1981.

"Sec. 639. Notwithstanding sections 619, 620, and 641(4) of title 10, United States Code, a retired officer serving on active duty on the date of the enactment of this section [Oct. 19, 1984] who on September 14, 1981, was on active duty as a retired officer recalled to active duty and who—

"(1) was eligible for consideration for promotion on that date; and

"(2) has served continuously on active duty since that date,

may be considered for promotion (under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the military department concerned) by a selection board that convenes after the date of the enactment of this section as if he had been placed on the active-duty list pursuant to section 621 of this Act."

§612. Composition of selection boards

(a)(1) Members of selection boards shall be appointed by the Secretary of the military department concerned in accordance with this section. A selection board shall consist of five or more officers of the same armed force as the officers under consideration by the board. Each member of a selection board (except as provided in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)) shall be an officer on the active-duty list. Each member of a selection board must be serving in a grade higher than the grade of the officers under consideration by the board, except that no member of a board may be serving in a grade below major or lieutenant commander.

(2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a selection board shall include at least one officer from each competitive category of officers to be considered by the board.

(B) A selection board need not include an officer from a competitive category to be considered by the board when there are no officers of that competitive category on the active-duty list in a grade higher than the grade of the officers to be considered by the board and eligible to serve on the board. However, in such a case the Secretary of the military department concerned, in his discretion, may appoint as a member of the board an officer of that competitive category who is not on the active-duty list from among officers of the same armed force as the officers under consideration by the board who hold a higher grade than the grade of the officers under consideration and who are retired officers, reserve officers serving on active duty but not on the active-duty list, or members of the Ready Reserve.

(3) When reserve officers of an armed force are to be considered by a selection board, the membership of the board shall include at least one reserve officer of that armed force on active duty (whether or not on the active-duty list). The actual number of reserve officers shall be determined by the Secretary of the military department concerned, in the Secretary's discretion. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this paragraph, in the case of a board which is considering officers in the grade of colonel or brigadier general or, in the case of officers of the Navy, captain or rear admiral (lower half), no reserve officer need be included if there are no reserve officers of that armed force on active duty in the next higher grade who are eligible to serve on the board.

(4) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), if qualified officers on the active-duty list are not available in sufficient number to comprise a selection board, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall complete the membership of the board by appointing as members of the board officers who are members of the same armed force and hold a grade higher than the grade of the officers under consideration by the board and who are retired officers, reserve officers serving on active duty but not on the active-duty list, or members of the Ready Reserve.

(5) A retired general or flag officer who is on active duty for the purpose of serving on a selection board shall not, while so serving, be counted against any limitation on the number of general and flag officers who may be on active duty.

(b) No officer may be a member of two successive selection boards convened under section 611(a) of this title for the consideration of officers of the same competitive category and grade.

(c)(1) Each selection board convened under section 611(a) of this title that will consider an officer described in paragraph (2) shall include at least one officer designated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is a joint qualified officer.

(2) Paragraph (1) applies with respect to an officer who—

(A) is serving on, or has served on, the Joint Staff; or

(B) is a joint qualified officer.

(3) The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirement in paragraph (1) in the case of—

(A) any selection board of the Marine Corps; or

(B) any selection board that is considering officers in specialties identified in paragraph (2) or (3) of section 619a(b) of this title.

Amendments

2011—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–383 amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: "Each selection board convened under section 611(a) of this title that will consider officers who are serving in, or have served in, joint duty assignments shall include at least one officer designated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is currently serving in a joint duty assignment. The Secretary of Defense may waive the preceding sentence in the case of any selection board of the Marine Corps."

2000—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §504(a)(1)], struck out "who are on the active-duty list" after "five or more officers" in second sentence and inserted after second sentence "Each member of a selection board (except as provided in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4)) shall be an officer on the active-duty list."

Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title V, §504(a)(2)], substituted "of that armed force on active duty (whether or not on the active-duty list). The actual number of reserve officers shall be" for "of that armed force, with the exact number of reserve officers to be" and "the Secretary's discretion. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this paragraph," for "his discretion, except that".

Pub. L. 97–22, §4(a)(2), inserted ", with the exact number of reserve officers to be determined by the Secretary of the military department concerned in his discretion" after "at least one reserve officer of that armed force" and inserted "who are eligible to serve on the board" after "the next higher grade".

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 97–22, §4(a)(3), substituted "Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3)" for "Except as provided in paragraph (3)" and "officers who are members of the same armed force and hold a grade higher than the grade of the officers under consideration by the board and who are retired officers, reserve officers serving on active duty but not on the active-duty list, or members of the Ready Reserve" for "retired officers of the same armed force who hold a retired grade higher than the grade of the officers under consideration by the board" and designated as par. (5) provisions that retired general or flag officers on active duty for the purpose of serving on a selection board not be counted against any limitation on the number of general and flag officers who may be on active duty.

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–433, title IV, §406(f), Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1034, provided that: "The amendments made by section 402 [amending this section and sections 615 and 618 of this title] shall take effect with respect to selection boards convened under section 611(a) of title 10, United States Code, after the end of the 120-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 1, 1986]."

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–86 effective Sept. 15, 1981, see section 405(f) of Pub. L. 97–86, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Sept. 15, 1981, but the authority to prescribe regulations under this section effective on Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

§613. Oath of members of selection boards

Each member of a selection board shall swear that he will perform his duties as a member of the board without prejudice or partiality and having in view both the special fitness of officers and the efficiency of his armed force.